Healthcare will be one of the central issues of the 2020 election and Medicare-For-All will drive much of that debate. In a review of twenty-eight national surveys conducted over the last two years, I have attempted to decipher how voters view the issue of Medicare-For-All.

1. Medicare-For-All
The Public’s Opinion
P R E P A R E D B Y :
Jarrett Lewis, Partner
Jarrett@pos.org

2. 2
Medicare-For-All:
General Polling

3. 70%
47%
56%
65%
21%
37% 38%
27%
Total Total Total Total
A range of surveys indicate Americans generally
support Medicare-For-All.
3
Support Oppose
Sources: Reuters Ipsos National Survey, Conducted June-July, 2018 / NBC-WSJ National Survey, conducted September 2018 / Kaiser Tracking Survey, conducted April, 2019 /
RealClearPolitics National Survey, conducted May, 2019 /
Do you (favor) or (oppose) having
a national health care plan,
sometimes called Medicare-for-
all, in which all Americans would
get their insurance from a single
government plan?
Kaiser Health News,
April 2019
Do you support or oppose
Medicare for All, which is a
system where all Americans –not
just older ones – get health
insurance through the
government’s Medicare system?
Real Clear Politics,
April-May, 2019
Please tell me whether you would be
more likely/less likely to vote for a
candidate for Congress who takes
this position, or would it not make a
difference to you?...Favors
Medicare for all, a single payer
health care system in which all
Americans would get their health
insurance from one government
plan that is financed in part by
taxes.
NBC-WSJ,
September 2018
Would you support or oppose
the following? A policy of
Medicare For All
Reuters/Ipsos,
June-July, 2018
More
Likely
Less
Likely Favor Oppose Support Oppose
36%
Strongly
28%
Strongly

4. 58% 57% 56%
35% 38% 38%
Total Total Total
And, support has been consistently even
over the last few years.
4
Source: Kaiser Health Tracking Surveys / * Question wording read “Now, please tell me if you favor or oppose having a national health plan in which all Americans would
get their insurance through an expanded, universal form of Medicare-for-all?”
Now, please tell me if you favor or oppose having a national health plan in which all Americans would get
their insurance through an expanded, universal form of Medicare-for-all?
Favor Oppose Favor Oppose Favor Oppose
December 2015* April 2019June 2017
34%
Strongly
26%
Strongly
34%
Strongly
25%
Strongly
36%
Strongly
28%
Strongly

5. 63%
56%
34% 38%
Total Total
There’s a reason MFA proponents have invoked Medicare - nearly two-thirds of
Americans have a positive reaction to the term “Medicare-For-All,” including some
who don’t support the policy.
5
Do You Favor or Oppose Having a National Health
Plan, Sometimes Called Medicare for All, In Which All
Americans Would Get Their Health Insurance From a
Single Government Plan?
Data taken from a national Kaiser Family Foundation national survey of 1,203 adults, conducted April 11-16, 2019
+29 +18
Positive Negative Support Oppose
41% Strongly
36% Strongly
28% Strongly
23% Strongly
Please tell me if you have a positive or negative
reaction to each term…Medicare-For-All…do you
have a positive or negative reaction to this, or not?

6. But, the question has been asked a wide variety of ways,
increasing the difficulty of measuring support.
6
Sources: Multiple
(I'm going to read you a couple different things
Congress may try to do in the coming
months.)...Implementing a national Medicare-for-
all plan, in which all Americans would get their
insurance from a single government plan--should
that be a top priority, important but not a top
priority, not too important, or should it not be
done? – Kaiser Health Tracking Poll, April 2019
Please tell me if you have a positive or
negative reaction to each term.)...Medicare-
for-all--do you have a positive or negative
reaction to this, or not? – Kaiser Health
Tracking Poll, April 2019
Do you think that removing the current health
care system and replacing it with a single
payer system, in which the federal
government would expand Medicare to cover
the medical expenses of every American
citizen, is a good idea or a bad idea? –
Quinnipiac University Poll, March 2019
Do you favor or oppose having a national health plan,
sometimes called Medicare-for-all, in which all
Americans would get their insurance from a single
government plan? – Kaiser Health Poll, March 2019
As you may know, people currently become eligible for health
insurance through Medicare when they turn 65....Another
way some people have suggested to try to reduce the nation's
health care costs in the future is to change our health care
system so that most people have Medicare and there is little
or no private health insurance. Do you favor or oppose this as
a way to reduce the nation's health care costs?-
Politico/Harvard Public Health Poll, March 2019
How important is it to you that the Democratic
candidate for President supports…providing
health insurance for all Americans through the
government, a plan sometimes called
‘Medicare-for-all’? -CNN, April 2019
In general, do you favor or oppose the US moving
to a national single-payer health plan, often called
Medicare for all? -Fox News Poll, August 2018
Would you support or oppose the following? A
policy of Medicare For All – Ipsos/Reuters
Survey, June-July 2018
Would you favor or oppose the government
offering everyone a government administered
health insurance plan--something like the
Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get-
-that would compete with private health
insurance plans? – CBS News Poll, January 2019
Do you support or oppose Medicare for All, which
is a system where all Americans, not just older
ones, get health insurance through the
government’s Medicare system? -Real Clear
Politics Poll, April/May, 2019
"Do you think the government should provide a
national health insurance program for all
Americans, even if this would require higher
taxes?" – CNN, Jan/Feb 2019
Do you support or oppose each of the following
health care proposals? A Medicare for All health care
system where all Americans would get their health
insurance from the government? – February, 2019
Politico/Morning Consult
Would you support or oppose providing
Medicare to every American?- Hill.TV/HarrisX,
October 2018
(I'm going to read you some positions that someone running
for Congress could take. For each one, please tell me whether
you would be more likely to vote for a candidate for Congress
who takes this position, less likely to vote for this candidate,
or would it not make a difference to you either way?)...Favors
Medicare for all, a single payer health care system in which all
Americans would get their health insurance from one
government plan that is financed in part by taxes – NBC
News/WSJ Poll, September 2018
How about...providing health insurance coverage for
everyone through a taxpayer-funded national plan like
Medicare for all? Should that be an extremely
important priority or not?- Politico/Harvard Public
Health Poll, December 2018

7. 7
Medicare-For-All:
Confusion & Challenges

8. 55%
77%
67%
35%
19%
27%
Be able to keep your current
health insurance
Have to pay more in taxes to cover
the cost of health insurance
Be able to access the health care
that you need
Americans are unclear about the impact of
Medicare-For-All.
8
If a national Medicare-for-all plan was put into place, do
you think you and your family would…
Yes, Would No, Would Not Yes, Would No, Would Not Yes, Would No, Would Not
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation national survey of 1,190 adults, conducted January 9-14, 2019

9. 9
Total Republican Independent Democrat
Taxes for most people would increase 78% 85% 80% 71%
All U.S. residents would have health insurance
coverage 62% 45% 61% 76%
Private health insurance companies would not
be the primary way Americans get health
coverage
53% 57% 52% 52%
Doctors and hospitals would be paid less 52% 64% 50% 42%
People who buy their own insurance would not
be able to keep their current plans 39% 53% 40% 24%
Individuals and employers would not continue
to pay health insurance premiums 39% 45% 42% 31%
People with employer-sponsored insurance
would not be able to keep their current plans 38% 47% 42% 25%
People would not continue to pay deductibles
and co-pays when they use health care
services
27% 28% 29% 25%
Do you think the following would happen under a national health plan like Medicare for All?
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation national survey of 1,206 adults, conducted May 30-June 4, 2019
Americans are unclear about the impact of
Medicare-For-All.

10. 71%
67%
37% 37%
32%
26%27% 30%
58% 60% 60%
70%
Total Total Total Total Total Total
Support increases for guaranteed issue and the elimination of
premiums/OOP costs, but decreases over increased taxes, elimination of
private coverage and delays in care.
10
Favor
Would You Favor/Oppose a Medicare For All Plan if You Heard It Would:
Guarantee
health insurance
as a right
Eliminate all
premiums & reduce
out-of-pocket costs
for most
Eliminate private
insurance
companies
Requires most
Americans to pay
higher taxes
Threaten the
current Medicare
program
Lead to delays in
people getting some
treatments
Oppose Favor Oppose Favor Oppose Favor Oppose Favor Oppose Favor Oppose
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation national survey of 1,190 adults, conducted January 9-14, 2019

11. Americans are largely unsatisfied with coverage for the country
but they are satisfied with coverage for themselves.
11
Source: Gallup, 2001-2018
69% 68%
71%
70%
78%
74%
72% 72%
60%
60%
65%
58%
66%
61%
67%
65%
71%
66%
30% 30%
28%
30%
21%
25%
27% 26%
38%
39%
33%
41%
32%
38%
33% 33%
29%
34%
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Now thinking about health care in the country as a
whole…overall, how would you rate health care coverage in
this country… as excellent, good, only fair, or poor?
Only Fair/Poor
Good/Excellent
26%
24%
29%
27%
32%
31%
23%
27% 27%
25% 25%
27% 27%
30%
32% 33%
28%
29%
68%
71%
66%
69%
63%
65%
70%
67%
69%
71% 72%
67%
69%
67%
67%
65%
70%
69%
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Overall, how would you rate your healthcare
coverage…as excellent, good, only fair or poor?
Good/Excellent
Only Fair/Poor

12. 41%
84%
54%
13%
Sample A Sample B
12
Generally speaking, how satisfied are you with the
health care you receive?
-13 +71
Satisfied Not Satisfied Satisfied Not Satisfied
10% Very
41% Very
19% Not At All
Generally speaking, how satisfied are you with the
country’s health care system?
Source: Public Opinion Strategies national survey of 805 adults, conducted April 23-24, 2019
Americans are largely unsatisfied with coverage for the country
but they are satisfied with coverage for themselves.

13. Those with private coverage are even more satisfied
with their own healthcare.
13
41%
84%
42%
90%
54%
13%
54%
9%
Sample A Sample B Sample A Sample B
Generally speaking, how satisfied are you with…
The country’s
healthcare system
Satisfied Not Satisfied Satisfied Not Satisfied Satisfied Not Satisfied Satisfied Not Satisfied
10% Very 19% Not At All
The healthcare
you receive
The country’s
healthcare system
The healthcare
you receive
Source: Public Opinion Strategies national survey of 805 adults, conducted April 23-24, 2019
41% Very
19% Not At All
43% Very
Total Among Respondents With Private Insurance

14. More than three-quarters of those who support Medicare-
For-All indicate satisfaction with their healthcare.
14
Source: Public Opinion Strategies national survey of 805 adults, conducted April 23-24, 2019
76%
21%
Among adults who support Medicare-For-All
Generally speaking, how satisfied are you with the health care you receive?
Satisfied Not Satisfied
32% Very
+55

15. 47%
77%
36%
46%
20%
55%
Total Among Those Who Favor (47%) Total
Support drops when Americans learn about increased taxes
AND the elimination of employer provided coverage.
15
Would you favor or oppose a single
payer health care system in which all
Americans would get their health
insurance from one government plan
that is financed by taxes?
Favor Oppose Favor Oppose Favor Oppose
Source: NBC News – Wall Street Journal National Survey of 900 adults, conducted September 14-18, 2017
And, if you learned that virtually all health
care costs would be covered, but it would
eliminate employer provided health plans
and there would be only one government
plan, would you favor or oppose a single
payer health care system?
Total Favor/Oppose
Recalculated Among All Adults

16. 16
Support For Other Policies

17. While Medicare-For-All is not as strongly supported as it has appeared, a
majority of Americans do believe it is the federal government’s responsibility
to ensure all Americans have coverage.
17
Source: Gallup, 2000-2018
59%
64%
62% 62%
59%
64%
58%
69%
64%
54%
47% 47%
50%
44%
42%
45%
51%
52%
56%
57%
38%
31%
34%
35%
39%
34%
38%
28%
33%
41%
50% 50%
46%
54%
56%
52%
47%
45%
42% 42%
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Do You Think it is the Responsibility of the Federal Government to Make Sure That All Americans Have
Healthcare Coverage, Or is That Not the Responsibility of the Federal Government?
Yes
No

18. 47%
51%
60% 60%
74%
50%
46%
38% 37%
24%
2014 2016 2017 2018 Total
18
Yes NoYes No Yes No
Sources: Pew Research / Kaiser Tracking Survey, conducted January, 2019.
Do You Favor or
Oppose The Federal
Government Doing
More to Help
Provide Health
Insurance for More
Americans?
Yes No Yes No
Do you think it is the responsibility of the federal government to make sure all Americans
have health care coverage, or is that not the responsibility of the federal government?
While Medicare-For-All is not as strongly supported as it has appeared, a
majority of Americans do believe it is the federal government’s responsibility
to ensure all Americans have coverage.

19. 19
February
2014
January
2017
June
2017
September
2018
Be provided through a single
national health insurance
system run by the government
21% 28% 33% 31%
Continue to be provided
through a mix of private
insurance companies and
government programs
23% 29% 25% 25%
Continue programs like
Medicare and Medicaid for
seniors and the very poor
43% 32% 33% 31%
Not be involved with providing
insurance at all 6% 5% 5% 4%
Source: Pew Research
Is it the federal government’s responsibility to make sure all Americans have health care coverage?
While Medicare-For-All is not as strongly supported as it has appeared, a
majority of Americans do believe it is the federal government’s responsibility
to ensure all Americans have coverage.
Yes
No

20. Americans support other policies to expand coverage.
20
74% 75% 77%
51%
24%
18% 18%
30%
Total Total Total Total
Sources: Kaiser Family Foundation national survey of 1,190 adults, conducted January 9-14, 2019 / Quinnipiac Medicare for All Poll, conducted March, 2019.
Do you favor or oppose…
Creating a national
government administered
health plan similar to
Medicare that would be open
to anyone, but would allow
people to keep the coverage
they have if they prefer.
Allowing people between
the ages of 50 and 64 to
buy insurance though the
Medicare program.
Allowing people who don't
get health insurance at
work to buy health
insurance through their
state Medicaid program
instead of purchasing a
private plan.
Do you think that keeping
the current health care
system but allowing all
adults the option of
buying into Medicare is a
good idea or a bad idea?
Favor Oppose Favor Oppose Favor Oppose Good Idea Bad Idea
49%
Strongly
16%
Strongly
49%
Strongly
10%
Strongly
45%
Strongly

21. Jarrett Lewis
P a r t n e r
Office: (703) 836-7655
Cell: (704) 604-1714
Email: jarrett@pos.org
Twitter: @JarrettLewis
Address: 214 N Fayette Street, Alexandria, VA 22314