These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Following President Obama's speech to Congress last week, support for his health care reform plan increased steadily to a peak of 51% yesterday. However, the bounce appears to be over. The latest daily tracking shows that support has fallen all the way back to pre-speech levels.
Forty-five percent (45%) of all voters nationwide now favor the plan while 52% are opposed. A week ago , 44% supported the proposal and 53% were opposed. (see day-by-day numbers ).
The latest figures show that 23% Strongly Favor the plan and 41% are Strongly Opposed. In late August, 23% were strongly in favor of the plan and 43% were strongly opposed. Premium Members can see full demographic crosstabs for results released today , Monday , Sunday , Saturday , Friday, Thursday and, for comparison, late August .
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll is another indicator of the speech's impact, and there, too, the bounce in approval Obama has been getting since the Wednesday night speech appears to have ended. Job 
Rasmussen Reports will continue tracking support for the proposals on a daily basis over the next several days and will release new updates each morning at 9 EDT. After this week, Rasmussen Reports will continue tracking the issue on a weekly basis.
Fifty-one percent (51%) now say that health care reform is at least somewhat likely to pass this year. That figure includes 18% who say passage is Very Likely. In a survey Sunday night, 55% said the plan was at least somewhat likely to pass this year. That was the highest total yet recorded.
If the plan passes, 27% of voters now say the quality of care will get better and 46% say it will get worse. In August, the numbers were 23% better and 50% worse.
Forty-seven percent (47%) say passage of the plan will make the cost of health care go up while 20% say it will make costs go down. In August, 52% thought the plan would lead to higher costs, and only 17% thought it would achieve the stated goal of lowering costs.
Prior to the president's speech, most people with insurance said it's likely they would be forced to change coverage if the plan passes . As Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, explained in a recent Wall Street Journal column: "The most important fundamental is that 68% of American voters have health insurance coverage they rate good or excellent ... Most of these voters approach the health care reform debate fearing that they have more to lose than to gain."
Voters overwhelmingly believe that every American should be able to buy the same health insurance plan that Congress has . Most favor limits on jury awards for medical malpractice claims and think that tort reform will significantly reduce the cost of health care .
Rasmussen Reports last Wednesday provided a summary of public opinion on health care reform leading up to the speech.
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To view the original report, please use this link: Health Care Reform Suffers From Infection