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CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten on Friday highlighted polling that shows a “clear majority” of Americans want an extension on soon-to-expire health care subsidies as House Republicans share another extension-free bill.
Enten turned to a recent Marquette University Law School poll that found 70% of Americans wanted to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, while 30% said they’d like to let them expire. He added that 45% of Republicans want an extension, as well.
“We’re talking about an issue that unites Democrats and cracks the Republican base right down the middle. This is just awful politics for Republicans,” he said.
As the Dec. 31 deadline looms to avoid soaring insurance premiums for tens of millions of Americans, the House GOP introduced a health care plan on Friday that did not include the soon-to-expire ACA subsidies, a key battle in the recent government shutdown.
House GOP leaders are expected to allow a vote on an amendment to extend the ACA subsidies next week, though the extension remains unlikely to pass as Democrats seek a clean three-year extension.
If the ACA subsidies don’t get an extension, a majority of ACA enrollees (63%) said they’d pin the blame on President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, compared with those blaming Democrats (19%), per a recent survey by the health care research nonprofit KFF.
“We are seeing massive, massive majorities blaming Trump, saying they want the ACA subsidies to be extended. And if they’re not, they are blaming the Republican Party and Donald Trump,” Enten said.
“The polling is rarely ever this clear. But on this issue, it is very much clear. This is an issue that hurts Republicans and very much helps Democrats.”
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