More than half of Americans don't want ObamaCare repealed without a replacement


As Republicans approach repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act in the coming months, American voters are divided on what specific changes they want to see. Most everyone, though, wants changes: Just 41 percent of people in a new Politico/Morning Consult poll said they approve of the law, with 52 percent of people disapproving. In fact, repealing ObamaCare ranks as the most important issue for President-elect Donald Trump to address, according to voters.
But what voters mean by "changes" is not an agreed-upon topic. Less than a third of voters, at 32 percent, want the law repealed in part, and just 27 percent want it repealed completely. On the contrary, 24 percent want the law expanded, while only 11 percent want it to hold as is.
On this most people can agree, though: The law should not be repealed if there is not a plan to replace it, 61 percent of respondents said. Twenty-eight percent of people answered that the law should be repealed regardless of whether a replacement plan is in place.
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What a replacement will look like is up in the air, too (Trump's incoming chief strategist and senior counselor, Steve Bannon, told Politico the team is "still thinking [it] through"). There is agreement about certain parts of the law, though, with even 63 percent of Republicans saying the prohibition on denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions should be a part of the new health-care law, and 56 percent of Republicans saying insurance companies should be required to keep children of policyholders on plans until 26.
The Politico/Morning Consult poll was conducted Jan. 5-7, surveying 1,988 registered voters and resulting in a margin of error of 2 percent.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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