Kaiser Poll: Nearly Half Say AHCA Would Cover Fewer People, Raise Costs

Almost half of Americans believe the American Health Care Act would cover fewer people and raise the cost of healthcare for those who buy their own health insurance, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. 

On the number of people who would have coverage:

• 48 percent said it would decrease.
• 30 percent believe it would stay the same.
• 18 percent said it would increase.

About the cost of coverage for those who don't get insurance through work:

• 48 percent think the cost would increase.
• 23 percent think the cost would decrease.

Breaking down that result by party affiliation, more Democrats believe coverage will decrease:

• 68 percent of Democrats
• 49 percent of independents.
• 22 percent of Republicans.

When asked whether people believed those with pre-existing conditions would be protected under the AHCA:

• 32 percent say fewer people would be covered.
• 45 percent say about the same number would be.
• 15 percent say more would be covered.

Regarding the future of Obamacare, 51 percent say it should not be repealed, while 45 percent say it should.

Three-fourths of those who took the poll are against the government removing funding from Planned Parenthood. Democrats and independents oppose a cutoff, as do Republican men (55 percent) and Republican women (57 percent.)

The poll is the first to look at the public's opinions about the American Health Care Act, and was conducted before the Congressional Budget Office released its estimate, according to the Washington Examiner. 

The poll was conducted from March 6 through March 12 among 1,206 adults, with a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

• ISSA Not Quite Ready to Vote for AHCA— 'We Can Do Better'
• Spicer on AHCA: 'Not Saying This is the Only Way Forward'