Informed voters don’t support Healthy Utah, according to a new poll.
The poll results will provide ammo to opponents of the Medicaid expansion, further complicating Governor Gary Herbert‘s efforts to find a compromise with conservative legislators to cover uninsured Utahns.
The poll, released today and embedded below, shows less than fifty percent of informed voters support Healthy Utah when given information about the impact of the law on the federal debt.
The poll was conducted by Wilson Perkins Allen on behalf of Republican consultant Chuck Warren’s Silver Bullet.
After hearing the information, the poll shows a diminishing level of support for Healthy Utah as surveyed individuals learn more. Healthy Utah showed initial support level of 56% for Healthy Utah, consistent with polls run without educating respondents. Support fell to only 47% once the financial effects of Healthy Utah on the federal budget were described.
Opposition to Healthy Utah rose from only 28% to 40% once the effects of the policy were described. Support for Healthy Utah was highest among liberals (89%) and Democrats (74%) and lowest among conservatives (41%) and Republicans (38%).
The poll comes in the wake of the failure of Healthy Utah to pass during 2015 Utah Legislative Session, despite heavy pressure from Governor Gary Herbert and late session shenanigans from House Democrats to get Republicans on record voting against the proposal. Governor Gary Herbert on behalf of Healthy Utah, it is expected to be the subject of a special session this summer.
This is the first poll on the Healthy Utah to show diminishing levels of support as respondents learn more about the fiscal implications of the Medicaid expansion policy.
The poll could spell out a major issue in the upcoming race for Utah governor, though presumptive Utah gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Johnson has been largely silent on the issue. Herbert has argued that accepting federal dollars will bring back money already leaving the state to fund the law and help Utah’s most vulnerable citizens.
Speaker Greg Hughes and Majority Leader Jim Dunnigan have been among the most vocal critics of Healthy Utah. Hughes refused to bring the proposal to a vote on the House floor after it failed to receive support from either the House Majority Caucus or to survive a committee hearing. During the session, voters in Dunnigan’s district received a mailer slamming him for proposing an alternate means to provide healthcare for Utahns without health insurance.
Silver Bullet Healthy Utah Polling Memo 20150415
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