Voters Say Obama Should Wait on Health Care Till Economy Improves

Voters Say Obama Should Wait on Health Care Till Economy Improves

March 2, 2009 10:54 AM

Nearly half of likely voters say that Barack Obama should wait until the economy improves before he pushes ahead with an ambitious overhaul of health care, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted Feb. 26-27.

Forty-nine percent hold that view compared to 42 percent who want him to move forward and 10 percent who are undecided. The White House is focusing this week on health care with a meeting set for Thursday of all the players and groups involved in the issue.

Seventy-eight percent said reining in health spending was very or somewhat important to improving the nation's economy.

Voters were skeptical of Obama's ability to keep his promises to reduce the number of uninsured Americans, improve the quality of care and save the typical family $2,500 a year in medical costs. Fifty-three percent believe is not very likely or likely at all that Obama will achieve all three while 44 percent think he will. They are the most optimistic on the promise to reduce the number of uninsured Americans with 50 percent believing that.

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