Poll: Michiganders oppose American Health Care Act by 19-point margin

Michiganders oppose the American Health Care Act -- passed last month by the U.S. House -- by a 19-point margin, according to a statewide EPIC/MRA poll.

The survey, conducted May 20-24, shows 50 percent opposed and 31 percent in favor of the health care legislation, which would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. The 600-sample poll indicated 19 percent are undecided or refused to respond.

The AHCA was opposed by every age group, with the strongest opposition coming from respondents age 18-34 by a 57-26 tally.

The bill, passed May 4 by the House and now before the Senate, was opposed by Democrats, 77-13, and Independents, 42-26 in Michigan. It was supported by state Republicans, 54-24. The act found most support among Republican men, 59-26 and least support from Democratic women, 12-77.

Metro Detroit respondents opposed the AHCA, 54-27, including 76-7 in the city of Detroit. It was opposed in every region of the state except the Bay area, where it was supported 38-29.

Poll participants who say the nation is on the right track supported the bill, 60-18, while those who say the nation is on the wrong track opposed it, 72-14.

White respondents opposed the law 47-35, and black respondents opposed it, 65-14.

The EPIC/MRA survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

AARP Michigan paid for the poll question, which asked: Earlier this month, the United States House of Representatives voted on, passed and sent to the U.S. Senate for consideration, a bill known as the American Health Care Act or AHCA, which makes comprehensive changes to existing Federal health care law. Based on what you know or may have seen, heard or read about the provisions of this health care legislation, do you Support or Oppose the passage of the American Health Care Act by Congress?

AARP strongly opposes the bill and is working in the U.S. Senate to overhaul it.

“The deeply flawed House bill would add an Age Tax, increasing health care costs by thousands of dollars each year we grow older, and put millions of American families at risk of finding health care unaffordable or unavailable,” said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond. She told senators: “AARP urges you to ‘start from scratch’ and craft health care legislation that ensures robust insurance market protections, controls costs, improves quality, and provides affordable coverage to all Americans.”

AARP’s letter to Senators notes that big insurance companies could charge older Americans five times – or more – for coverage, and charge many Americans more than their take home pay, noting, “The median annual income for 50-64 year old Americans is less than $25,000… [The House health bill] would remove pre-existing condition protections and once again allow insurance companies to charge Americans more -- we estimate up to $25,000 more -- due to a pre-existing condition.”

About 40% of older Americans, nearly 25 million, have a pre-existing condition.