More Americans continue to oppose health care reform legislation than support it, and half favor banning the use of federal funds for abortions.

More Americans continue to oppose the health care reform legislation than support it, according to a Fox News poll released Friday. In addition, half favor banning the use of federal funds for abortions.

By 51 percent to 35 percent, the public opposes the reform legislation being considered right now by Congress. Last month, a majority opposed the health care legislation by a similar 54-35 percent (October 13-14, 2009).

While a majority of Democrats favor the reforms (65 percent), some 17 percent are opposed and another 18 percent are unsure. Most Republicans (82 percent) and a majority of independents (61 percent) oppose the legislation.

Seniors aged 65 and over oppose to the legislation by 56-30 percent, while voters under age 30 are slightly more likely to be in favor of it (45-41 percent).

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Few Americans — one in six (16 percent) — think their family would be better off under the reforms. The rest split evenly between thinking they would be worse off (37 percent) and saying the reforms would not make much of a difference to their family (37 percent).

Those living in lower-income households (income less than $30,000) are twice as likely as those living in higher-income households (income $100,000 and over) to think their family would be better off under the health care reforms — 28 percent and 14 percent respectively.

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A Rasmussen survey released Monday shows 54 percent is opposed to the plans backed by President Obama and Democrats in Congress.

Just 42 percent of voters support Democrats’ health care reform plans even though a majority wants Congress to pass some version of reform, according to a new poll released Monday. 

The Rasmussen survey shows 54 percent is opposed to the plans backed by President Obama and Democrats in Congress. The percentage of voters supporting the proposals is down 2 points from the previous week and down 4 points from the week before that. 

The survey reflects persistent public skepticism toward the health care overhaul in its current form, even as it advances steadily through Congress. The Senate Finance Committee last week became the last of five congressional panels to approve its version of health care reform — the full House and Senate still have to merge and vote on their separate packages. 

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Most center on how to pay for plan or hold down costs

By: Jeffrey M. Jones

Americans are skeptical that President Obama’s healthcare plan will be able to accomplish all he intends — to expand coverage to nearly all Americans without raising taxes on middle-class Americans or affecting the quality of care. Thirty-eight percent believe his plan will achieve all of these goals, while 60% do not think it will.

Republicans are nearly united in thinking the plan will not accomplish these stated goals (90% believe it will not), and most independents (64%) agree. Two in three Democrats (66%), on the other hand, express optimism that the plan will achieve these aims.

These results are based on a Sept. 11-13 USA Today/Gallup poll, conducted in the days after Obama’s prime-time address to Congress last Wednesday. The speech served as a renewed call to action for the American public and legislators to support healthcare reform. However, it does not appear to have materially increased support for the plan, and the poll reveals that Americans have doubts that the plan, as Obama described it, will work.

For example, less than a majority (43%) say they are confident that Obama’s plan can be paid for mostly through cost savings in Medicare and other parts of the healthcare system, as Obama has proposed. Eleven percent are very confident of this.

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