Fox News Poll: Opposition to Health Care Reform Holds Steady

As health care legislation moves out of the Senate Finance Committee, a majority of Americans says they oppose the reforms being considered. A Fox News poll released Thursday finds that by 54 percent to 35 percent, Americans oppose the reforms.

In addition, more Americans disapprove, 50 percent, than approve, 42 percent, of the job President Obama is doing on health care.

Predictably, a 65 percent majority of Democrats favors the legislation, while 86 percent of Republicans oppose it. Independents oppose the reforms by 62 percent to 23 percent.

Furthermore, when asked to choose between the current health care system and the plan proposed by Democrats in Congress, more Americans say they would prefer the current health care system by a 17 percentage point margin -- 51 percent to 34 percent.

Many Americans fail to see an upside to the health care reforms. The biggest portion of the public -- 40 percent -- says the reforms would not make much of a difference to their family. A similar number --36 percent -- thinks their family would be worse off under the reforms.

Less than one of five Americans,18 percent, think their family would be better off under the plans being considered. Furthermore, the public does not see reforming health care as the priority right now.

Creating jobs tops the list with 40 percent as the most important issue for the government to be working on, followed by reducing the deficit and government spending, which earned 25 percent.

Thirteen percent say reforming health care is the top issue, and 9 percent say fighting terrorism.
The Senate Finance Committee approved a health care bill on Tuesday, although a vote on a final bill is still considered to be weeks away. The poll was conducted after the committee vote.

Opinion Dynamics Corp. conducted the national telephone poll of 900 registered voters for Fox News from October 13 to October 14. The poll has a 3-point error margin.

When given a choice, Americans pick the middle of the road rather than a complete health care overhaul or no action at all. Half, 50 percent, would like Congress to focus reforms on providing health insurance to those who don't currently have it -- that's nearly twice as many as say they want Congress to reform the entire health care system, 27 percent. Some 18 percent want legislators do "do nothing and leave the current system in place."

Click here for RAW DATA: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics Corp. Polls.