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Poll reflects the shifting tides of American support for health reform

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Amid the mercurial American public, support for healthcare reform may have slid over the summer (blame it on the doldrums perhaps, if not individual performances), but now it’s fall -- and the support seems to be ticking back up. In August, 53% of Americans said they wanted healthcare change; in September, 57% were behind it. In August, 42% thought the nation couldn’t afford to tackle the issue at the moment; in September, that number had ebbed to 39%.

These numbers are found in a new poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The percentage of Americans who think their family would be better off with reform moved upward as well, from 36% in August to 42%. Those who think they and their loved ones would fare more poorly declined, from 31% in August to 23%.

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For a closer look at American public opinion, including support for various proposals (individual mandates, employer mandates, state program expansions and the like), go here.

(The site also offers an easy way to compare major healthcare reform efforts, for those truly riveted by the debate.)

Of course, more than a fourth of the nation still thinks health reform wouldn’t affect them much one way or the other.

-- Tami Dennis

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