Only 12 per cent of Americans support Senate healthcare bill, new poll finds

A new poll sows that only 12 per cent of Americans support the Senate bill that would repeal and replace Obamacare.

The USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll conducted from 24-27 June of a 1,000 registered voters found that more than half want the Affordable Care Act left in place.

The majority of that set of people, at 42 per cent, acknowledge that there are issues with Obamacare and want the problems fixed while leaving the legislation in place in the interim.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell needs 50 votes to pass the bill, however nine Republicans have come out publicly to voice at least some dissent. With only a 52-48 majority, Republicans can only afford to lose two of their own.

At least two - Senators Rob Portman of Ohio and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia - have expressed reservations about the replacement bill's cut to Medicaid, the federally funded programme that provides insurance coverage to nearly 70 million disabled, low income, and pregnant Americans.

Approximately 35 million of those covered by Medicaid are children.

Mr Portman said in a joint statement with Ms Capito that: "I continue to have real concerns about the Medicaid policies in this bill, especially those that impact drug treatment at a time when Ohio is facing an opioid epidemic."

The poll also showed that nearly 40 per cent of those surveyed said they did not have sufficient information about the Senate bill to have an opinion on it.

This also reflects the complexity of the legislation and how the Senate bill was drafted without meetings or committee hearings with only a select group of Republicans - it was not unveiled to the Senate as a whole until 22 June with Mr McConnell reportedly wanting to schedule a vote before the 4 July recess.

Several Senators objected to tight timeline and being unable to consult fully with their state governors and constituents about it before the vote.

Senators Susan Collins, Dean Heller, Rand Paul, Ron Johnson, Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, and Jerry Moran are the other Republicans in dissent.

Some like Mr Cruz and Mr Rand oppose the bill because it does not go far enough to get rid of provisions in Obamacare they oppose, such as penalties for those who do not purchase health insurance.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office rated the plan and said 22 million fewer Americans would be insured by the Republican plan than Obamacare by 2026.

Donald Trump hosted Republican leadership after the announcement that the vote would be postponed to later in July to discuss differences and try to work out a bill that would get the necessary 50 votes.

He tweeted that the "Some of the Fake News Media likes to say that I am not totally engaged in healthcare. Wrong, I know the subject well & want victory for U.S."

He said Obamacare is "melting down" but that Senate Republicans and the White House were "getting very close" to a deal.