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Poll: Americans split on healthcare bills

PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. residents remain closely divided about whether Congress should pass a healthcare reform bill this year, a Gallup Poll released Wednesday indicates.

Thirty-eight percent of respondents said they would tell their congressman or senator to vote for a bill, 40 percent said they would urge a no vote, and 22 percent said they didn't have an opinion, pollsters said.

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Supporters of healthcare legislation said their primary motivation was desire to help the uninsured, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said. Thirty-six percent said people need healthcare and too many Americans lack it, while 6 percent said they thought the country had a moral obligation to provide it.

Eleven percent of respondents said they thought legislation would make healthcare more affordable and 8 percent said they viewed it as a remedy for out-of-control costs.

Americans who oppose healthcare legislation said their concerns, generally were about big government -- 17 percent -- or government involvement in the healthcare system, 11 percent, Gallup said. Nine percent of opponents also expressed concern about how legislation will affect healthcare costs, while 8 percent said they were worried about its cost to the government, particularly its impact on the federal deficit.

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Fourteen percent said they opposed healthcare legislation because of a lack of specific information or details about the proposals.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 1,030 adults conducted Friday through Sunday. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.

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