Communications Workers of America Ten State Poll on Paying for Healthcare Reform

1. Communications Workers of AmericaTen State Poll on Paying for Healthcare Reform November 30 – December 3, 2009 N=2,200 2010 Likely Voters Across Ten States (AR, CO, CT, DE, IN, LA, ND, NM, NV, and VA)

2. Regions and States Surveyed REGION STATES SAMPLE SIZE MARGIN OF ERROR • East Connecticut 400 +/- 4.9% Delaware • South Arkansas 600 +/- 4.0% Louisiana Virginia • Southwest Colorado 600 +/- 4.0% Nevada New Mexico • Indiana -- 300 +/- 5.66% • North Dakota -- 300 +/- 5.66% 2

3. Summary • Voters across all five regions and 2010 frontline Senate states are strongly opposed to taxing high-cost health insurance plans as a way to help fund health insurance reform. Overall, 70% of voters oppose it, while at least 60% of voters in each region are opposed. • Voters are less likely to re-elect their member of Congress by a 41-point margin (63% less likely to 22% more likely) if they support an excise tax. • Across each region, opposition to taxing high-cost insurance plans is even higher among Independents, with 74% of these voters opposed to such a tax. • Voters clearly prefer to fund health insurance reform by raising taxes on the wealthy than by taxing high-cost plans, as they support taxing households making over a million a year (and individuals making over half a million a year), by a 12-point margin (54% to 42%). This was supported by a majority of voters in seven of the ten states surveyed, and by 49% in the remaining three. • A plurality of voters (49%) would be more likely to re-elect a member of Congress who supports raising taxes on the wealthy to help fund health insurance reform. 3

4. Overall, 70% of voters oppose taxing high-cost health insurance plans as a way to help pay for health insurance reform, with over 60% opposing such a tax in each of the regions we surveyed. Opposition to the tax also exceeded 60% in each of the seven states that have 2010 frontline Senate races. Opposition to Taxing High-Cost Health Insurance Plans to Pay for Reform -61 -55 -45 Net -56 -51 -40 4

5. Support for taxing high-cost health insurance plans would also have electoral implications for members of Congress, as 60% or more of voters across each region are less likely to re-elect their member of Congress if they support the tax. Among voters across all ten states, nearly half (48%) say they are much less likely to re-elect their representative if they back it. Impact on Support for Member of Congress who Backs Excise Tax -48 -43 -40 -44 -41 -37 Net 5

6. Opposition to an excise tax is even higher among Independents, with over two thirds of Independents (68%) indicating that they are less likely to re-elect their member of Congress if they support taxing high-cost health insurance plans. Impact on Support for Member of Congress: Independents 6

7. While voters are strongly opposed to taxing high-cost health insurance plans, they solidly support taxing households making over one million a year (or individuals making over a half a million), in order to help pay for health insurance reform, with 54% favoring it across all ten states. A solid majority supports such a tax in seven of the ten states surveyed, with 49% supporting it in the remaining three (Colorado, Louisiana, and North Dakota). Support for Taxing Wealthy to Help Fund Reform +5 +23 +24 +9 +12 +11 Net 7

8. Supporting a tax on the wealthy to help fund health insurance reform does not carry the risks for members of Congress that supporting an excise tax on health plans does. While voters indicate that they are less likely to re-elect a member of Congress who supports an excise tax, a majority or plurality say they are more likely to re-elect a candidate who backs taxing the wealthy in four out of the five regions surveyed. Impact on Support for Member of Congress who Backs Tax on Wealthy -2 +17 +18 +3 +6 +6 Net 8