Voters Will Replace, Not Re-Elect, Their Representative if They Accept Subsidized Health Coverage

WASHINGTON D.C. – Polling Data released from Independent Women’s Voice, conducted by GEB International among N=500 likely voters nationwide, shows 94% of Americans oppose special treatment for Congress on ObamaCare.

As ObamaCare’s October 1 start date looms public opposition of the law remains high with more than half (51.3%) of all Americans disapproving of the federal health care takeover.

Most voters (59%) blame both parties for the recent Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ruling that Congress and their staffers will receive special subsidized benefits under ObamaCare. 91.3% say it is unfair that Congress gets its insurance subsidized while Americans suffer from higher premium costs and ObamaCare-related changes at work with slashed hours and positions eliminated.

An overwhelming majority (90.1%) of voters say they will be upset (79.2% a lot) if their representative does nothing to reverse the OPM ruling. And voters say they will vote to replace, not re-elect, their senator or member of Congress if they accept the special exemption from ObamaCare (70% if voted against law and accepted subsidies; 69% if voted for law and accepted subsidies).

 

VIEW TOPLINES HERE (also below)

KEY FINDINGS: 

• What should be done w/ Obamacare: 38.9% – start it; 23.3% cut funding; 30.4% delay
• Approve/disapprove ACA: 43.4% approve: 51.3% disapprove.
• Congress should be required to abide by the same law they passed for the country: 93.7% fair, 3.5% unfair, 2.8% DK/refused
• Congress should be exempt from buying their insurance in the health exchanges: 91.5% unfair, 5% unfair, 3.5% DK/refused
• Republicans should be exempt: 81.9% disagree, 14.8% agree
• Senatorial committees’ truce: 85% disapprove, 79% strongly disapprove, 6% approve, 7% don’t care.
• Options on how to address OPM exemption:
• 75.1%: reverse order, then extend it: mandate all of Congress, WH, rest of federal government get insurance through exchanges
• 13.7%: reverse order
• 3.4%: allow ruling to stand, let members select whether to opt out
• 1.5%; do nothing, take the subsidy
• 1.2%: pass a bill granting pay increases to cover the increased cost
• Who blame for OPM exemption: 59% both parties equally, 17% Republicans/Congress, 12% Obama, 7% Democrats/congress
• If member returns from recess and does nothing: 90.1% upset (79.2% a lot)
• Vote to re-elect or replace if takes exemption?: 69% replace (if D), 70% replace (if R)

 

TOPLINES | CONGRESSIONAL EXEMPTION POLL

Conducted for IWV by GEB Int’l, Aug. 22^nd, 500 likely voters nationwide

1   Q1. –   ARE YOU A REGISTERED VOTER?

–  500         Total

–  500  100.0  YES

2   Q2. –   IN GENERAL, WHEN THERE ARE FEDERAL ELECTIONS DO YOU ALWAYS VOTE, ALMOST ALWAYS VOTE, VOTE MOST OF THE TIME, VOTE SOME OF THE TIME, HARDLY EVER VOTE OR NEVER VOTE?

–  500         Total

–  360   72.1  ALWAYS

–   96   19.2  ALMOST ALWAYS

–   44    8.7  MOST OF TIME

3   Q3. –   IF YOU HAD TO LABEL YOURSELF POLITICALLY, WOULD YOU SAY YOU ARE A LIBERAL, A MODERATE, OR A CONSERVATIVE IN YOUR POLITICAL BELIEFS?

–  500         Total

–  122   24.3  LIBERAL

–  160   32.0  MODERATE

–  197   39.5  CONSERVATIVE

–   21    4.2  D.K./REFUSED

4   Q4. –   WITH WHICH POLITICAL PARTY ARE YOU AFFILIATED?

–  500         Total

–  156   31.2  REPUBLICAN

–  196   39.3  DEMOCRAT

–  134   26.8  INDEPENDENT/NO PARTY

–   11    2.1  OTHER

–    3    0.6  DK/REFUSED

5   Q5. –   HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THE TERMS “HEALTH CARE EXCHANGE”?  IF YES, PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU’VE HEARD.  IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD IT BEFORE, JUST SAY SO.

–  500         Total

–   45    9.1  PART OF OBAMACARE

–   45    9.1  HEARD NAME

–   29    5.9  WAY TO BUY H/CARE

–   24    4.8  CHOOSE OWN INS OPTION

–   21    4.3  EACH STATE OFFERS

–   12    2.3  HEARD NEGATIVES

–   11    2.2  FOR THE UNINSURED

–   10    2.0  GOVERNMENT RUN PLAN

–    9    1.7  AFFORDABLE INS. RATES

–    7    1.3  MANDATED INSURANCE

–    6    1.1  HEARD PROS & CONS

–    5    1.0  OFFERS GROUP INSURANC

–    5    1.0  SUBSIDIZED H/CARE

–    3    0.7  AVAILABLE OCTOBR 2013

–    3    0.6  HEARD GOOD THINGS

–    3    0.6  BEST H/CARE PROVIDERS

–    3    0.5  FORCE PEOPLE SIGN UP

–    3    0.5  ELECTRONIC H/CARE

–    2    0.4  BENEFITS OF OBAMACARE

–    2    0.4  FINES/PENALTIES

–    1    0.3  REPUBLICAN AGAINST IT

–    1    0.3  HARM ECONOMY

–    1    0.2  INVOLVES A MIDDLEMAN

–    1    0.2  SOME STATES NOT JOIN

–    1    0.2  LIBERTARIAN

–    1    0.1  UNFAIR TO SMALL BIZ

–  246   49.3  DON’T KNOW

6   Q6. –   WHICH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE WITH THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT BETTER KNOWN AS OBAMACARE?…

1. DELAY STARTING UP THE LAW

2. CUT ITS FUNDING

3. TAKE A “TIME OUT” FOR AT LEAST A YEAR

4. DELAY FUNDING FOR A YEAR

5. PAUSE IMPLEMENTATION

6. GO AHEAD AND START IT

 

–  500         Total

–  195   38.9  GO AHEAD AND START IT

–  116   23.3  CUT ITS FUNDING

–   46    9.2  PAUSE IMPLEMENTATION

–   38    7.5  DELAY STARTING UP

–   35    7.0  DELAY FUNDING/A YEAR

–   34    6.7  TAKE A TIME OUT

–   37    7.3  DK/REFUSED

10   Q10. –  WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING TWO STATEMENTS COMES CLOSEST TO YOUR POINT OF VIEW?

1. GOVERNMENT CAN PROVIDE THE SOLUTION TO MANY PROBLEMS AND WE NEED

MORE OF IT OR,

2. INCREASINGLY GOVERNMENT IS THE PROBLEM AND WE NEED LESS OF IT

 

–  500         Total

–  122   24.4  NEED MORE GOVERNMENT

–  322   64.4  NEED LESS GOVERNMENT

–   56   11.2  DK/REFUSED

11   Q11. –  IN GENERAL, DO YOU APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT BETTER KNOWN AS OBAMACARE?

–  500         Total

–  217   43.4  APPROVE

–  256   51.3  DISAPPROVE

–   27    5.4  DK/REFUSEED

Now I’m going to read to you some relevant facts: The Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, explicitly required Members of Congress and their staffs to participate in the new health insurance exchanges it established for anyone above a certain income who does not have qualifying insurance covered by their employers. That means that as written that Members and their staff would lose the generous coverage they now have and instead get the limited government mandated options offered by the health exchanges, and many would not qualify for their current subsidies. Nonetheless, this rule was passed as part of the law so that Members and their staffs could have first hand experience with what they’ve required of millions of their constituents.  Knowing that, do you think the following statements are fair or unfair?

12   Q12. – “MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEIR STAFFS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO ABIDE BY THE SAME LAW THEY PASSED AND GET THEIR INSURANCE THE SAME WAY AS  MILLIONS OF OTHER AMERICANS NOW WILL HAVE TO: THROUGH THE EXCHANGES”

–  500         Total

–  468   93.7  FAIR

–   18    3.5  UNFAIR

–   14    2.8  DK/REFUSED

13   Q13. –  “MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEIR STAFFS SHOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THE LAW THEY PASSED AND CONTINUE TO GET THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE LARGELY SUBSIDIZED BY THE GOVERNMENT, THE SAME WAY AS BEFORE”

–  500         Total

–   25    5.0  FAIR

–  458   91.5  UNFAIR

–   18    3.5  DK/REFUSED

14   Q14. –  DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS?  “REPUBLICAN MEMBERS AND THEIR STAFFS, NONE OF WHOM VOTED FOR OBAMACARE, SHOULD BE EXEMPT FROM  HAVING TO GET THEIR INSURANCE COVERAGE THROUGH THE OBAMACARE EXCHANGES.

–  500         Total

–   74   14.8  AGREE

–  409   81.9  DISAGREE

–   17    3.4  DK/REFUSED

15   Q15. –  DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS? “IF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEIR STAFF LOSE THE 75% SUBSIDIES FOR THEIR CURRENT COVERAGE AND ARE FORCED TO PAY HIGHER PREMIUMS FOR FEWER BENEFITS UNDER OBAMACARE, MANY WILL LEAVE CAPITOL HILL TO FIND JOBS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, SO THIS PROVISION OF THE LAW NEEDED TO BE AMENDED TO EXEMPT CONGRESS FROM OBAMACARE.

–  500         Total

–   69   13.8  AGREE

–  407   81.5  DISAGREE

–   24    4.7  DK/REFUSED

16   Q16. –  WOULD YOU BE WILLING OR UNWILLING TO HELP COVER THE HEALTHCARE OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEIR STAFFS WITH ADDITIONAL TAXPAYER MONEY IF YOU KNEW THEY WOULD LOSE THEIR CURRENT COVERAGE AND BE EXPOSED TO THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR IN PREMIUMS?

–  500         Total

–   29    5.8  WILLING

–  457   91.4  UNWILLING

–   14    2.8  DK/REFUSED

17   Q17. –  WOULD YOU BE WILLING OR UNWILLING TO EXEMPT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEIR STAFFS FROM OBAMACARE IF YOU KNEW THAT THEY WOULD LOSE THEIR CURRENT COVERAGE AND BE FORCED TO PAY HIGHER PREMIUMS FOR LESS BENEFITS UNDER OBAMACARE AND MANY WILL LEAVE CAPITOL HILL TO FIND JOBS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR?

–  500         Total

–   50   10.1  WILLING

–  431   86.3  UNWILLING

–   18    3.6  DK/REFUSED

18   Q18. –  NOW I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION: AS CONGRESS WAS GOING INTO ITS AUGUST RECESS, THE WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCED IT IS CREATING A  SPECIAL EXEMPTION FROM THE LAW FOR CONGRESS SO THAT THEY WON’T FEEL ANY CHANGE TO THEIR PREMIUM COSTS.  KNOWING THIS, WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS DO YOU AGREE WITH MORE?

1. IT IS NOT FAIR THAT CONGRESS GETS ITS INSURANCE COSTS SUBSIDIZED  WHILE OTHER AMERICANS ARE HAVING THEIR PREMIUMS RISE OR THEIR JOBS GET CUT BACK OR ELIMINATED

2. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT CONGRESS AND THEIR STAFF NOT BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THIS LAW.

–  500         Total

–  457   91.3  NOT FAIR

–   30    6.0  IMPORTANT/NOT AFFECT

–   13    2.6  DK/REFUSED

19   Q19. –  NEWS REPORTS INDICATE THAT DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE HAVE DECLARED A TRUCE AND AGREED NOT TO DISCUSS THE CONGRESSIONAL MEMBER AND STAFF EXEMPTIONS FROM OBAMACARE IN THE RUNUP TO THE 2014 ELECTION IN ORDER NOT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE.  DO YOU APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF THIS DECISION IF YOU DON’T CARE, JUST SAY SO.

–  500         Total

–   31    6.2  APPROVE

–   17    3.4   Strongly Approve

–   14    2.8   Somewhat Approve

–  426   85.1  DISAPPROVE

–   31    6.1   Somewhat Disapprove

–  395   79.0   Strongly Disapprove

–   34    6.7  DO NOT CARE

–   10    1.9  DK/REFUSED

20   Q20. –  WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES WHAT CONGRESS SHOULD DO REGARDING THE CONGRESSIONAL MEMBER AND STAFF EXEMPTION TO OBAMACARE?

–  500         Total

–  375   75.1  Pass an Equal Treatment Act, reversing the order and mandate that Congress, the White House, and the rest of the federal government get their insurance through the exchanges, without special subsidies, just like millions of Americans are about to have to do.

–   69   13.7  Pass a bill to reverse the order and have Congress live with the law as written

–   17    3.4  Point out the absence of legal authority to make this change, but allow the ruling to stand and have Members individually choose whether or not to take the subsidy for themselves and their staff

–    7    1.5  Do nothing, let the special exemption stand, and take the subsidy

–    6    1.2  Pass a bill granting pay increases to cover the increased cost of insurance

–   26    5.1  DK/REFUSED

21   Q21. –  WHEN CONGRESS RETURNS FROM THE AUGUST RECESS, IF YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND SENATOR DO NOTHING AND ALLOWS CONGRESS TO BENEFIT FROM  THIS SPECIAL BAILOUT, WILL THIS UPSET YOU, OR NOT UPSET YOU?

–  500         Total

–  451   90.1  UPSET

–  396   79.2   Upset A Lot

–   55   10.9   Upset A Little

–   36    7.2  NOT UPSET

–   13    2.7  DK/REFUSED

22   Q22. –  WHO DO HOLD MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR ALLOWING THE CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS AND STAFF EXEMPTION FROM OBAMACARE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

–  500         Total

–  295   59.1  BOTH PARTIES EQUALLY

–   85   17.0  REPUBLICANS/CONGRESS

–   60   12.0  PRESIDENT OBAMA

–   37    7.4  DEMOCRATS/CONGRESS

–   23    4.6  DK/REFUSED

23   Q23. –  WOULD YOU VOTE FOR OR AGAINST YOUR SENATOR OR MEMBER OF CONGRESS IF YOU KNEW HE OR SHE VOTED AGAINST OBAMACARE BUT ACCEPTED THE SPECIAL EXEMPTION FROM OBAMACARE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR STAFF? IF IT WOULD  MAKE NO DIFFERENCE, JUST SAY SO.

–  500         Total

–   29    5.8  VOTE FOR

–  351   70.1  VOTE AGAINST

–   80   16.1  MAKES NO DIFFERENCE

–   40    8.0  DK/REFUSED

24   Q24. –  WOULD YOU VOTE TO RE-ELECT OR WOULD YOU VOTE TO REPLACE YOUR SENATOR OR MEMBER OF CONGRESS OF YOU KNEW HE OR SHE VOTED FOR OBAMACARE BUT ACCEPTED THE SPECIAL EXEMPTION FROM OBAMACARE FOR THEMSELVES AND  THEIR STAFF? IF IT WOULD MAKE NO DIFFERENCE, JUST SAY SO.

–  500         Total

–  344   68.7  REPLACE

–   59   11.8  RE-ELECT

–   65   12.9  MAKES NO DIFFERENCE

–   33    6.6  DK/REFUSED

25   Q25. –  IN THE RECENT ELECTION FOR PRESIDENT DID YOU VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA OR MITT ROMNEY?

–  500         Total

–  255   51.0  OBAMA

–  235   47.0  ROMNEY

–    3    0.7  DID NOT VOTE

–    7    1.4  DK/REFUSED

26   Q26. –  WOULD YOU SAY YOU ALWAYS VOTE DEMOCRAT, USUALLY VOTE DEMOCRAT, VOTE FOR AS MANY DEMOCRATS AS REPUBLICANS, USUALLY VOTE REPUBLICAN, OR ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN?

–  500         Total

–  172   34.4  DEMOCRAT

–   77   15.5   Always Democrat

–   94   18.9   Usually Democrat

–  119   23.8  TICKET SPLITTER

–  125   25.1   Usually Republican

–   55   10.9   Always Republican

–  180   36.0  REPUBLICAN

–   29    5.8  DON’T KNOW/REFUSED

27   Q27. –  HOW OFTEN DO YOU VOTE IN PRIMARIES?  WOULD YOU SAY…

–  500         Total

–  448   89.6  VOTE

–  311   62.2   Always

–  137   27.4   Most Of The Time

–   51   10.1  RARELY/NEVER

–   32    6.4   Rarely

–   19    3.7   Never

–    1    0.2  DK/REFUSED

28   Q28. –  HOW OFTEN DO YOU CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS OR  POLITICAL PARTIES? WOULD YOU SAY..

–  500         Total

–  194   38.8  CONTRIBUTE

–   62   12.4   Often

–  132   26.4   Sometimes

–  303   60.6  RARELY/NEVER

–  124   24.8   Rarely

–  179   35.7   Never

–    3    0.7  DK/REFUSED