While proponents note polling that shows majority support for "Medicare for all," other surveys show support ebbs as Americans consider some specific aspects of any far-reaching health care reform.
Polling by KFF, a leading health-care think tank, shows 74% of Americans support more government involvement in health care (although Republican support has fallen steadily over the past 15 years). The majority favoring a direct government plan, often billed as the Medicare for all option, is less robust, most recently measured at 53%.
Language and positioning matters a lot. "Medicare for all" as a term is viewed positively by 63% of the public, while "socialized medicine" is viewed positively by only 44%, KFF says. When told that such a reform would lead to higher taxes or eliminate private health-insurance companies, support falls significantly below majority levels.