Americans divided on removing individual mandate: poll

Half of Americans in a new CNN/ORC poll oppose the elimination of ObamaCare’s individual mandate, which requires people to purchase health insurance.

The poll, which was carried out before the GOP rolled out its new healthcare plan late Monday, found that 48 percent of Americans support the removal of the mandate, however.

Eighty-seven percent of those surveyed also support protecting people with pre-existing conditions, which the new GOP bill covers.

{mosads}Sixty-one percent of those polled are against new legislation that would limit funding of the Medicaid expansion. Along party lines, 74 percent of Democrats oppose a check on the funding, and 49 percent of Republicans support it.

As for the individual mandate, 60 percent of Democrats oppose eliminating it, while 55 percent of Republicans are in favor of removing it.

The survey was completed from March 1 to 4 via telephone, polling 1,025 adults. It has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.