Five bills that could be passed this year would expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage and provide tax credits to lower-income Americans to pay for health care, according to a new poll by Bowman Consulting and the Associated Press.
Those bills would be the most popular with Republicans in Congress and would provide additional help to people who are not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare, which provide health coverage for about 80 percent of the population.
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research said the results show a majority of the American people support the legislation, which would expand coverage for the most needy.
The survey of 2,000 people conducted Jan. 18-21 and published Friday by the AP-NORH Institute for Public Opinion found 59 percent support the Medicaid expansion, and 35 percent support paying for the tax credits.
The other bills have the support of about a third of the respondents, and they are the same as the one that passed the House earlier this month.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) also expands health coverage and provides tax credits for people who earn less than 400 percent of federal poverty level.
The Republican-controlled House passed its version of the legislation on Thursday.
If the Senate follows the House’s lead and passes the House bill, it would require states to offer insurance to all at no cost to those making up to 400 percent or more of the federal poverty line.
The Medicaid expansion is supported by a majority in the AP poll, with 44 percent saying they support it and 47 percent saying no.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is supported 57 percent, and the Tax Cops Act is favored by 49 percent.
Those are the only two bills that have the backing of the most respondents, Bowman said.
Republicans control both the House and Senate and have majorities in both chambers.
The tax credits are supported by 43 percent, while 46 percent oppose them and 46 percent support expanding coverage.
Democrats oppose expanding coverage because they believe it would make people pay higher premiums for private insurance.
The AP-NIRP poll surveyed 1,500 adults between Jan. 12 and 21, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.