PRESENTED BY:

Greg Strimple, President &

Brooks Kochvar, Partner
PROJECT MANAGER:
Brad Wing, Principal
PROJECT DETAILS
Conducted January 3-5, 2017
N = 1000 National Likely Voters
Margin of Error: +/-3.1%

1747 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW, 5TH FLOOR | WASHINGTON, DC 20006

Survey Specifics
About the Research:
This survey was conducted January 3-5, 2017, by GS Strategy Group on behalf of America
Action Network. The survey consists of interviews of 1,000 likely voters nationwide and has
a margin of error of +/-3.1% at a 95% confidence interval. Quotas were set by geography,
race, gender and age to reflect historic trends. Forty percent of the interviews were
conducted by cell phone. The self-identified party registration/affiliation of the respondents
was 36.4% Democrat, 34.5% Republican, and 24.2% Independent.
Key Findings:
Respondents do not support Obamacare, they think it is driving up health care costs, and
a majority (54%) want it repealed or major changes made to it versus 43% who only want
minor changes or to leave it as is.

Nearly 70% of respondents support repeal of ACA with a realistic, modest transition
period and letting people keep their coverage while they wait for the new law to be in
place. Even Democrats support this by a 48/43 margin. Additionally, respondents
disagree with the Democratic claim that if Republicans repeal the ACA that it will make
America sick again.

When read a description of broad principles of a Republican plan versus the current
realities of Obamacare, respondents support repealing Obamacare and replacing it with a
House Republican plan by a 63/27 margin. Support for the plan is especially strong
among independents in which 68% of them favor it and more than a third of Democrats
support it.
ACA Research, January 2017 | 2

Key Findings, Continued

Respondents support Republican efforts to continue important patient protections such

as requiring insurance companies to cover preexisting conditions (92% Favor) and
allowing children to stay on their parents plan until they are 26 (79% Favor).

Respondents overwhelmingly support individual elements of a possible Republican plan

such as requiring providers to have more transparency in pricing (91%), allowing small
businesses to form pools to purchase insurance (89%), allowing insurance companies to
sell insurance across state lines (85%), speeding innovation and cutting bureaucracy at
the NIH (80%), strengthening Medicare (76%), offering a tax credit (76%), and having
medical malpractice reforms (75%).

Support for the Republican plan is bolstered by the belief that it provides ownership of
and makes insurance more portable, it is centered on what is best for the patient, and it
will lower health insurance costs for families.

When you juxtapose Republican plans versus Obamacare on key elements, respondents
support the Republican plan (exchanges and minimum coverage vs. across state line
and choosing plan for them, subsidy vs. tax credit).

ACA Research, January 2017 | 3

The Affordable Care Act: Image and What Should Be Done with It?
Americans do not support Obamacare and a majority want it repealed or major changes made to it.

What Should Be Done with the ACA?

When it comes to Obamacare, do you believe that Congress should:
Completely repeal it
Make major changes to it
Make minor changes to it
Leave it as is
Repeal/Major

54.1%

Minor/Leave

Undecided

+11.5 Repeal/Major

42.6%

Repeal 21.2
Major 32.9

Leave 7.3
Minor 35.3

Party
Overall

3.3%

Gender

Dem

Indy

GOP

Male

Age

Female 18-39

40-64

65+

Repeal/Maj.

54.1

17.6

61.6

86.1

59.9

48.7

49.3

59.8

50.5

Minor/Non

42.6

78.8

36.0

10.4

37.8

47.0

47.9

37.5

44.0

+1.7

+1.4

+22.3

+6.5

Net Rep/Maj.

+11.5 -61.3 +25.6 +75.7 +22.0

ACA Research, January 2017 | 4

The Affordable Care Act: Concerns with the Law

Dissatisfaction with Obamacare stems from the fact that Americans think it is driving up healthcare costs.
Why do you oppose this law?

Overall

Too Expensive / Increased The Cost Of Health Care

44.4

It Was Forced / Not A Choice

14.7

It Doesn't Work / Help

11.7

The Government Isn't Efficient / Shouldn't Be Involved

4.8

Obama Lied

3.6

Being Fined / Penalized

2.8

Current Doctor's Are Out Of The Network

2.4

It's Unfair

2.4

It Destroyed Small Business

2.2

The following are criticisms some have made regarding Obamacare. Which concerns you the most?

Overall

It has increased the cost of health insurance for millions of Americans

21.8

It forces Americans to pay a tax penalty if they choose not to purchase health insurance coverage

16.4

It expanded the federal government's involvement in personal health care decisions

11.7

It raised taxes by $1 trillion

7.6

It cut Medicare by $800 billion

7.5

It has limited your ability to choose the doctor you prefer

6.6

It has decreased access to quality care

5.3

It has resulted in fewer health insurance choices for consumers

4.6

No concerns

9.5

ACA Research, January 2017 | 5

Repealing ACA
Nearly 70% of respondents support repeal of ACA with a realistic modest transition period and letting people keep their
coverage while they wait for the new law to be in place. Even Democrats support this by a 48/43 margin. Additionally,
respondents disagree with the Democratic claim that if Republicans repeal the ACA that it will make America sick again.

Favor Repeal If There is a Transition?

Would you favor or oppose a plan that repeals the Affordable Care
Act if you knew it would establish a realistic, modest transition period
to get a new system up and running, letting people keep their
coverage while they wait for the new law to be in place?
Favor

Oppose

Make America Sick Again?*

Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with the following
statement: If Republicans repeal the Affordable Care Act, it will
make America sick again.

Undecided

Agree

Disagree

68.9%

Undecided

-27.0
Agree
59.1%
+43.7 Favor

32.1%
25.2%

8.8%

5.9%

Party
Overall

Gender

Dem

Indy

GOP

Male

Party

Age

Female 18-39

40-64

65+

Overall

Gender

Dem

Indy

GOP

Male

Age

Female 18-39

40-64

65+

Favor

68.9

47.8

72.3

88.4

72.8

65.3

65.8

71.3

69.5

Agree

32.1

57.1

27.3

9.5

28.4

35.1

36.9

27.3

32.0

Oppose

25.2

43.4

22.3

9.0

21.8

28.3

28.5

22.8

24.5

Disagree

59.1

30.1

64.8

85.9

65.3

53.9

55.1

65.2

54.1

Net Agree

-27.0 +27.0 -37.6

-76.3

-36.9

-18.8

-18.1

-37.9

-22.1

Net Favor

+43.7 +4.4

+50.0 +79.4 +50.9 +37.0 +37.3 +48.5 +45.0

*Asked among 702 respondents Jan. 4-5 after Democrats announced their strategy

ACA Research, January 2017 | 6

Repealing ACA: Support for a House Republican Plan

When read a description of broad principles of a Republican plan versus the current realities of Obamacare,
respondents support repealing Obamacare and replacing it with a House Republican plan by a 63/27 margin. Support
for the plan is especially strong among independents in which 68% of them favor it and more than a third of Democrats
support it.

Details of a Possible House Republican Plan

Now, let me give you some more information. Under
Obamacare, millions of Americans have seen large, double
digit increases in health insurance costs. The law has also put
vast bureaucracies in charge of your health care decisions
and which doctor you can see. The new House Republican
plan would make health care patient focused. While repealing
most of Obamacare, it would leave in place key items like
allowing children to stay on their parents plan until they are 26
and requiring health insurers to cover patients with preexisting medical conditions. The Republican plan drives down
health insurance costs for all Americans by creating more
competition in the marketplace, allowing the purchase of
health insurance across state lines and letting small business
form insurance pools to compete for lower prices. It puts
families and doctors in charge of their healthcare by providing
more flexibility and eliminating expensive mandates. It paves
the way for new cures by eliminating senseless regulations,
and it creates a stronger Medicare system. Knowing this,
would you favor or oppose repealing Obamacare and
replacing it with a new House Republican health care reform
law?

+36.4 Favor

Swhat 21.6
Strongly 41.7
Strongly 20.0

63.3%
Party
Overall

26.9%
Gender

Age

Dem

Indy

GOP

Male

Female

18-39

40-64

65+

Favor

63.3

36.5

67.8

88.1

66.3

60.5

60.5

67.8

58.5

Oppose

26.9

49.5

23.6

6.1

23.7

29.9

31.2

23.0

27.5

+36.4

-12.9

+44.2

+82.0

+42.6

+30.6

+29.3

+44.8

+31.0

Net Favor

ACA Research, January 2017 | 7

Repealing ACA: What Elements Should Be Kept?

Respondents support Republican efforts to continue important patient protections such as requiring insurance
companies to cover preexisting conditions and allowing children to stay on their parents plan until they are 26.

Covering Pre-existing Conditions

Regardless how you feel about the law as a whole, please tell me
whether you favor or oppose each provision: Requiring health
insurance companies to provide coverage to anyone with a preexisting medical condition.
Favor

Keeping Children on Insurance Until 26

Regardless how you feel about the law as a whole, please tell
me whether you favor or oppose each provision: Requiring
insurance companies to cover children on their parents health
insurance plan until they are 26 years old.

Oppose

92.2%

Favor

+86.2 Favor

78.8%

Oppose
+60.9 Favor

17.9%
6.0%

Party

Party
Overall

Favor
Oppose
Net Oppose

Overall

Dem

Indy

GOP

92.2

96.7

92.1

87.2

Favor

6.0

2.2

6.2

10.1

Oppose

+86.2

+94.5

+86.0

+77.1

Net Oppose

Dem

Indy

GOP

78.8

90.4

76.4

68.1

17.9

7.4

21.5

26.7

+60.9

+83.0

+55.0

+41.4

ACA Research, January 2017 | 8

Repealing ACA: Elements of the New House Republican Plan

Respondents overwhelmingly support individual elements of a possible Republican plan such as requiring providers to
have more transparency in pricing, allowing small businesses to form pools to purchase insurance, allowing insurance
companies to sell insurance across state lines, speeding innovation and cutting bureaucracy at the NIH, strengthening
Medicare, offering a tax credit, and having medical malpractice reforms.
Now Im going to read to you some elements that have been suggested for a new House Republican health care reform law. After hearing each, please tell
me whether you would favor or oppose that element
Favor

90.5%

88.8%

4.8%

85.0%

6.6%

Oppose

80.1%

9.7%

76.2%

11.4%

75.9%

16.4%

74.8%

15.5%

73.0%

17.4%

17.6%

Price Transparency - Requiring health care providers like hospitals and doctors to be more transparent in the price of their procedures so patients can make more informed decisions about their
own care.
Small Business Pools - Allowing small businesses to form pools to purchase health insurance together so they can increase their purchasing power so they can negotiate with insurers like big
businesses do for lower prices.
Across State Lines - Allowing insurance companies to sell health insurance across state lines, creating more competition in the health insurance market, which would ultimately drive down costs
and allow Americans to choose a plan that is right for them.
Stronger NIH - Speeding health innovation into the future by building a stronger National Institutes of Health, removing bureaucratic barriers to collaboration in order to accelerate drug discovery
and cutting edge cures for diseases like cancer, heart disease and Alzheimers.
Strengthen Medicare- Strengthening Medicare by providing seniors with the right to choose between buying private insurance or traditional Medicare. The current system would not change for
anyone in retirement or near retirement today.
Tax Credit - Offering a refundable tax credit for those who dont have employer coverage to help buy health insurance in the individual market.
Malpractice Reforms - Enacting medical malpractice reforms that reduce the number of frivolous lawsuits, which drive up the cost of health care. A non-partisan study estimates this reform would
save consumers $55 bill per year on healthcare costs.
Eliminate Mandates - Putting patients in charge of their own health insurance purchases by eliminating expensive government mandates.

ACA Research, January 2017 | 9

House Republican Plan Messaging

Support for the Republican plan is bolstered by the belief that it provides ownership of and makes insurance more
portable, it is centered on what is best for the patient, and it will lower health insurance costs for families.
If you knew each of the following statements about a new House Republican health care reform law was true, would you
be more likely or less likely to support that plan?
Less Likely

More Likely
Net

The plan gives you more ownership of your health insurance by making it
more portable, meaning you can take it from job to job, or into your
retirement years.

For far too long healthcare reform has not centered on what is best for the
patient. This plan is patient centered reform which empowers patients and
doctors to choose the plans and medical treatments that are right for them.

The plan lowers costs for all Americans by eliminating over $1 trillion in
taxes on healthcare while still protecting our most vulnerable citizens
those with pre-existing conditions.

Under Obamacare, the cost of the average health insurance policy has
increased by more than $3,775. This plan lowers costs by giving you more
control and more choices so you can pick the plan that best meets your needs
not
Washingtons mandates.

77.7%
+68.6

9.1%

74.6%
+63.7

10.9%

73.7%
+61.7

12.0%

70.2%
+56.3

13.9%

ACA Research, January 2017 | 10

House Republican Plan Messaging

If you knew each of the following statements about a new House Republican health care reform law was true, would you
be more likely or less likely to support that plan?
Less Likely

More Likely
Net

The plan will encourage wellness programs to allow employers to reward

employees for making healthy choices - encouraging personal
responsibility and saving both businesses and workers valuable health care
dollars.

Under Obamacare, most Americans are not allowed to purchase low-cost,

high deductible catastrophic health insurance plans. This plan will allow all
Americans to purchase the plan they want, including catastrophic coverage.

This plan ends Obamacares $800 billion raid on Medicare and instead
improves the programs fiscal health and puts Medicare on a
sustainable path for the future.

69.9%
+57.0

12.9%

68.2%
+54.0

14.2%

67.9%
+54.2

13.7%

61.2%

The plan will end the Obamacare employer mandate that caused employers
to cut millions of jobs and limit some employment to only 30 hours per week.

+38.6

22.6%

ACA Research, January 2017 | 11

ACA vs. House Republican Plan

When you juxtapose Republican plans versus Obamacare on key elements, respondents support the Republican plan
(exchanges and minimum coverage vs. across state line and choosing plan for them, subsidy vs. tax credit).
Obamacare and the House Republican plan have different approaches to solve the same problems. Im going to read to you some of those
differences. After hearing each, please tell me which approach you prefer Obamacare or the House Republican plan.
Obamacare

House GOP

63.8%
50.6%
36.6%
28.4%

Party

Party

Dem

Indy

GOP

Obamacare

52.7

24.0

7.0

House GOP

34.9

69.8

89.9

Net House GOP

-17.9

+45.9

+82.9

Dem

Indy

GOP

Obamacare

65.4

31.8

10.1

House GOP

19.8

55.8

80.3

Net House GOP

-45.6

+24.0

+70.1

On the issue of comparing and purchasing health insurance plans: Obamacare created state-based health insurance exchanges which included a small number of higher cost, high coverage
plans that required all plans to cover minimum standards of care, like mammograms and other preventative services. The House Republican plan will expand the health insurance marketplace
by allowing insurers to sell across state lines, allowing consumers the freedom to choose from multiple plans at multiple price points and giving them the freedom to choose the plan that best
meets their needs;
On the issue of government assistance on purchasing plans: Obamacare gives lower-income Americans a taxpayer funded subsidy which can be used to purchase health insurance plans. The
House Republican plan would give lower-income Americas a tax credit in order to purchase health insurance plans.

ACA Research, January 2017 | 12

THANK YOU!