Poll: Most say GOP has no clear plan on healthcare

A new survey is underscoring the challenge facing Republicans who seek to offer a positive message on healthcare ahead of the midterm elections.

Nearly two-thirds of likely and independent voters said they do not think congressional Republicans have a clear plan to handle healthcare reform, according to a poll by The Morning Consult, a healthcare news site.

This sentiment was even stronger among individuals who are undecided about who to support in 2014. Nearly three in four of those people said House and Senate Republicans do not have a clear plan for healthcare.

Republicans have acknowledged that their failure to rally around an alternative policy to ObamaCare could hurt them at the polls.

The GOP has vowed to “repeal and replace” the unpopular healthcare law since it first passed in 2010, but so far, neither the House nor Senate GOP has fully agreed on a plan.
 
Still, there is no doubt from the poll that ObamaCare’s botched rollout and related health policy cancellations are a boost for Republicans headed into November.

While the media firestorm over the rollout has largely quieted, 57 percent of likely voters said cancelled health plans remain a top issue for them as they cast their vote.

This view was held by majorities in nearly every category surveyed, including independents (57 percent), women (58 percent) and Hispanics (54 percent).

Since the rollout, Republicans also gained an edge over Democrats when it comes to which party independents trust on healthcare (52 percent to 48 percent).

This number has slid since November, however, and likely voters are more likely at this point to choose Dems over the GOP on that issue (52 to 48).

The survey was conducted online from Jan. 28-31 of 2,158 likely voters. The margin of error is two percent.