Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Only 17% of Americans support the US President's reform of Obamacare, finds poll

Plan would restrict access to abortion insurance coverage and cut federal funding for Medicaid expansion

Narjas Zatat
Saturday 10 June 2017 12:40 BST
Comments
US President Donald Trump addresses supporters at a Faith and Freedom Coalition event
US President Donald Trump addresses supporters at a Faith and Freedom Coalition event (Getty)

Less than a fifth of Americans support Donald Trump’s new healthcare plan, a new poll suggests.

According to a Quinnipiac University poll, 17 per cent of US voters approve the Republican Healthcare plan.

Sixty-two per cent of people polled disapprove, and 21 per cent said they don’t know.

House Republicans approved a plan for the Affordable Healthcare Act, pejoratively referred to as ‘Trumpcare’ in May, and the Senate is attempting to pass a version in the summer.

The plan would restrict access to abortion insurance coverage, cut federal funding for Medicaid expansion and Medicaid money for Planned Parenthood.

Of the people polled, 65 per cent opposed decreasing federal funding for Medicaid.

Mr Trump’s Budget plan indicates a grim future for many currently on Medicaid.

Under the proposal, put together by Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, cuts of between $800bn (£627bn) and $1.4tn (£1.1tn) in future spending have been proposed.

In addition, it called for future spending on healthcare programmes of low-income children to be cut.

The controversial alternative to Obamacare would also allow states to waive rules which currently prevents insurers from charging new customers more because of their medical history.

For women this amendment is especially problematic, as insurers may be able to charge more for "pre-existing conditions", which includes effects of rape.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in