tracking public opinion on the idea of a national health plan (including language referring to Medicare-for-all since 2017).

1. Public Opinion on Single-Payer, National Health
Plans, and Expanding Access to Medicare Coverage
Poll findings KFF Health Tracking Polls

2. Most Support Federal Government Doing More To Help Provide
Health Insurance, But Republican Support Has Declined Over Time
SOURCE: KFF Polls. See toplines for full question wording and response options.
Figure 1
Percent who say they favor the federal government doing more to help provide health insurance for more
Americans:
85%
96%
86%
72%
75%
92%
73%
49%
74%
94%
77%
40%
Total
Democrats
Independents
Republicans
November 2006 September 2008 January 2019

3. A National Health Plan Didn’t Garner Majority Support Until 2016
SOURCE: KFF Polls. See toplines for full question wording and response options.
Figure 2
Percent who favor or oppose a national health plan in which all Americans would get their insurance from a
single government plan:
40% 39% 46% 50%
53% 55%
49% 43%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1998-2000
(avg of 6 polls)
2002-2004
(avg of 2 polls)
2008-2009
(avg of 7 polls)
Feb 2016
Favor Oppose

4. SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Polls. See topline for full question wording and response options.
Figure 3
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?
57% 55%
59%
56%
57%
56% 56%
51%
Sept
53%
Oct
51%
Nov
53%
38%
43%
38%
42%
37% 39% 38%
42% Sept
45%
Oct
47%
Nov
43%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Jun-2017 Sep-2017 Dec-2017 Mar-2018 Jun-2018 Sep-2018 Dec-2018 Mar-2019 Jun-2019 Sep-2019
Favor Oppose
Slight Majority Support A National Medicare-for-all Plan

5. Partisans Divided With Seven In Ten Republicans Opposing
Medicare-for-all While Three-Fourths Of Democrats Favor It
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (November 7-12, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Figure 4
22%
25%
26%
15%
31%
52%
26%
13%
10%
10%
12%
9%
33%
10%
33%
60%
Total
Democrats
Independents
Republicans
Strongly favor Somewhat favor Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose
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?

6. 63%
63%
59%
49%
46%
31%
34%
36%
32%
44%
Universal health coverage
Medicare-for-all
National health plan
Single-payer health insurance system
Socialized medicine
Do you have a positive or negative reaction to each of the following terms?
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (April 11-16, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Figure 5
Terminology Affects Public Opinion On A National Health Plan
No opinion
11%
6%
19%
3%
5%
Positive Negative

7. 63%
63%
59%
49%
46%
33%
39%
34%
39%
17%
62%
59%
57%
47%
45%
87%
83%
87%
64%
74%
Total Republicans Independents Democrats
Percent who say they have a positive reaction to each of the following terms:
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (April 11-16, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Figure 6
“Medicare-for-all,” “Universal Coverage,” “National Health Plan”
Garner Most Positive Reactions
Universal health coverage
Medicare-for-all
National health plan
Single-payer health insurance
system
Socialized medicine

8. 34%
17%
Universal
coverage
Make health care
more affordable/
Costs too high
Favor
56%
DK/Ref.
5%
Oppose
39%
23%
14%
14%
Don’t want
government
involved
Too expensive to
implement
Limits
choice/competition
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (March 13-18, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Figure 7
Reasons For Opinions On National Health Plan Echo Partisan
Messages
Medicare-for-all
AMONG THE 39% WHO
OPPOSE: What is the main
reason you oppose such a plan?
AMONG THE 56% WHO
FAVOR: What is the main
reason you favor such a plan?
Health care
is a right 7%
NET: 40%

9. NOTE: Among those who favor a national health plan.
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (March 13-18, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Figure 8
Universal Coverage Is Most Important Feature Of A National Health
Plan Among Supporters
How important is it that a national health plan…?
89%
79%
56%
56%
45%
38%
9%
18%
33%
32%
38%
29%
1%
1%
8%
8%
8%
19%
1%
2%
2%
3%
6%
11%
Covers all Americans
Simplifies the health care system
Eliminates monthly premiums
Eliminates out-of-pocket costs like co-pays and
deductibles
Shifts what people pay for health care to taxes
Eliminates private health insurance companies
Very important Somewhat important Not too important Not at all important

10. Majorities Think Many Aspects Of Health Care System Would Be
Unchanged Under Medicare-for-all
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (May 30-June 4, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Figure 9
Do you think each of the following would happen under a national health plan, sometimes called Medicare-
for-all?
78%
69%
62%
55%
55%
54%
52%
40%
19%
27%
34%
38%
39%
39%
41%
53%
2%
4%
4%
7%
7%
6%
7%
7%
Taxes for most people would increase
People would continue to pay deductibles and co-pays when they use
health care services
All U.S. residents would have health insurance coverage
People with insurance through their jobs would be able to keep their
current plans
People who buy their own insurance would be able to keep their
current plans
Individuals and employers would continue to pay health insurance
premiums
Doctors and hospitals would be paid less
Private health insurance companies would still be the primary way
Americans get coverage
Yes No Don't know

11. Attitudes Shift After Hearing Messages About How Medicare-for-
all Would Impact Current System
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (January 9-14, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Figure 10
Would you favor or oppose a national Medicare-for-all plan if you heard that it would do each of the following?
27%
30%
58%
60%
60%
70%
71%
67%
37%
37%
32%
26%
Oppose Favor
Guarantee health insurance as a right for all
Americans
Eliminate all health insurance premiums and reduce out-
of-pocket health care costs for most Americans
Eliminate private health insurance
companies
Require most Americans to pay
more in taxes
Threaten the current Medicare
program
Lead to delays in people getting some medical
tests and treatments

12. 54%
48%
47%
43%
48%
48%
Favor Oppose
Some Moderate Shifts In Support For Medicare-for-all Depending
On Description Of Plan
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (conducted November 7-12, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Figure 11
Would you favor or oppose a national Medicare-for-all plan if you heard it would…
Require many employers and some individuals to pay
more in taxes, but eliminate health insurance
premiums and deductibles for all Americans
Eliminate private health insurance, but allow people
to choose their doctors, hospitals, and other medical
providers
Increase the taxes that you personally pay, but
decrease your overall costs for health care

13. Uncertainties Persist About National Health Plan Provisions
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (January 9-14, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Figure 12
Percent who think that, if a national Medicare-for-all plan was put into place, they and their family would…
Would Would not
…be able to keep their
current health insurance
…have to pay more in taxes to
cover the cost of health insurance
…be able to access the
health care they need
55%
35%
67%
27%
77%
19%

14. 67%
24%
DK
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (January 9-14, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Most Medicare-for-all Supporters Think They Would Be Able To
Keep Their Health Insurance
Figure 13
41%
51%
DK
55%
35%
DK
Total
Among those who oppose having
a national health insurance plan
or Medicare-for-all
Among those who favor having
a national health insurance plan
or Medicare-for-all
Yes, think they and their family would be able to keep their current health insurance
No, think they and their family would not be able to keep their current health insurance

15. Thinking about the Democratic candidates’ approach to health care. Would you prefer to vote for a candidate
who wants to…?
NOTE: Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents.
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (September 3-8, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Figure 14
More Democrats Prefer Candidate Who Would Build On The ACA
Replacing the
ACA with
Medicare-for-all
40%
DK/Ref./Other
5%
Build on the
existing ACA
55%

16. There Is Broader Support For Expanding “Optional” Public Health
Insurance Programs Than Medicare-for-all
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Polls. See toplines for full question wording and response options.
Figure 15
Percent who favor or oppose:
53%
66%
74% 75% 77%
43%
29%
24% 18% 18%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Medicare-for-all Public option Optional Medicare-for-all Medicaid buy-in Medicare buy-in for ages
50-64
Favor Oppose

17. 77%
88% 91% 85% 85%
20%
8% 7% 12% 12%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Medicare-for-all
Nov 2019
Public option
Nov 2019
Optional Medicare-for-all
Jan 2019
Medicaid buy-in
Jan 2019
Medicare buy-in for ages
50-64
Jan 2019
Favor Oppose
Majorities Of Democrats Favor Incremental Changes To Health
Care System As Well As National Medicare-for-all Plan
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Polls. See toplines for full question wording and response options.
AMONG DEMOCRATS: Percent who favor or oppose:
Figure 16

18. 26%
19%
12%
18%
69%
75%
85%
77%
Oppose Favor
More Incremental Approach To Universal Coverage: Medicare Buy-
In And Medicaid Buy-In
SOURCE: KFF Health Tracking Poll (January 9-14, 2019). See topline for full question wording and response options.
Figure 17
26%
20%
12%
18%
64%
75%
85%
75%
…allowing people between the
ages of 50 and 64 to buy insurance
through the Medicare program?
… allowing people who don’t get health
insurance at work to buy health insurance
through their state Medicaid program?
Do you favor or
oppose …
Total
Democrats
Independents
Republicans