Two-thirds of Americans want government help with surging health care costs but Medicare for All isnt it

Two-thirds of Americans, including half of Republicans, say they want the government to spend more money to reduce health care costs — but they still like their health insurance and most are skeptical of Medicare for All, new polling data suggests.When it comes to figuring out the specific policy to lower costs, only 43% want Medicare for All — which would create a single-payer health system operated by the US government, polling released on Tuesday by Axios-Ipsos shows.In contrast, nearly a quarter (24%) oppose universal Medicare, while almost a third (32%) say they aren’t sure.However, the move is popular with 62% of Democrats, many of whom want to see a similar system to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service, which is free at the point of access but paid for through taxes.Nearly half (47%) of independents also said they supported the idea, polling showed.“People are justifiably angry at the high and rising cost and inefficiency of health care in the US,” Mark Washawsky, Senior Fellow at the right-wing public policy think tank the American Enterprise Institute, told The Post.“But, in these surveys, they are not aware of the extremely high taxes, restrictions on care, slowing of innovation, and political rent-seeking that will result if Medicare for all is adopted,” Washawsky said.“A better way is to introduce effective competition into the sector, while making sure everyone is covered and supporting those most in financial need,” he added.More than 70 million people are enrolled in Medicare, which insures Americans 65 and over and some people with disabilities.It is the federal government’s third largest expense after Social Security and interest on the national debt — consuming 14% total spending.

Medicare paid out $1.2 trillion last year — twice the figure a decade ago.Opponents of Medicare for All said they fear a worse quality of care than private insurance, while others feared it would become too expensive for taxpayers or ex...