Obama increasing healthcare reform support

HOUSTON, March 12 (UPI) -- When healthcare reform is described as the "Obama plan" and contrasted with the Republican plan, support rises, a U.S. survey indicates.

Dr. S. Ward Casscells, vice president of external relations and public policy at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, says the increase in support for healthcare reform when described as the Obama plan could be a testament to the popularity of the president.

The University of Texas Health Science Center commissioned Zogby International to conduct online surveys both before and after the healthcare summit Feb. 25.

Before the summit, 40 percent preferred the Obama plan and 40 percent preferred a Republican alternative. After the summit, 43 percent preferred the Obama plan and 44 percent a GOP alternative.

However, Casscells says, despite conventional wisdom that support is waning, last year 27 percent supported reform.

"When asked which party is most serious about putting the nation's needs ahead of political gain for health reform, 70 percent of the Democrats surveyed chose their party whereas only 55 percent of the Republicans selected their party," Casscells says in a statement.

The pre-summit survey of 1,665 likely voters was conducted Feb. 24-25 and had a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points. The post-summit survey of 2,805 likely voters conducted March 2-4 had a margin of error of 1.8 percentage points.