New Poll: Majority Of N.M. Voters Do Not Support The State Government Health Insurance Plan
SANTA FE, N.M. – As New Mexico’s lawmakers consider the best path forward on health care for the state, a new statewide poll shows that most New Mexico voters are satisfied with their current health coverage and a majority do not support creating a new state government-controlled health insurance system, such as the proposed Health Security Plan.
The poll of 800 likely voters in New Mexico, which was conducted by Locust Street Group on behalf of New Mexico’s Health Care Future, found that 64 percent of New Mexico voters are satisfied with their current health coverage and most do not trust the state government over the free market to design an effective health insurance plan – 58 percent trust the free market and only 42 percent trust the state government to more effectively meet the health care needs of New Mexicans. The poll also found that most New Mexico voters’ top health care priority is lower health care costs and most believe that lowering health care costs for everyone is more important than universal coverage.
The poll’s key findings include:
- A majority of New Mexico voters do NOT support the Health Security Plan (only 32 percent support).
- 77 percent of voters prefer for lawmakers to BUILD ON New Mexico’s health care system rather than create a new state government-designed Health Security Plan.
- Voters are deeply concerned about how a state government health insurance system would impact access to quality care (79 percent), coverage (73 percent), and the state economy and budget deficit (71 percent).
- 79 percent of New Mexico voters are UNWILLING to pay more in health care costs and 70 percent are UNWILLING to pay more in taxes to finance the cost of the Health Security Plan.
In fact, the poll finds that most New Mexico voters want state lawmakers to focus on the economy and jobs. The economy and jobs ranked as the most important issue for the state government to address with 64 percent of voters choosing it as one of their top two issues. Only 39 percent of voters believe health care is among the two most important issues for state lawmakers to address.
Poll Methodology: Locust Street Group, on behalf of New Mexico’s Health Care Future, surveyed 800 likely voters in New Mexico (balanced to current state demographics by gender, age, race, income, education, and political ideology). The survey was fielded online and by phone from January 8 to January 25, 2021.
To view the poll’s top line findings, CLICK HERE.
To view Locust Street Group’s analysis of the poll’s findings, CLICK HERE.
To learn more about New Mexico’s Health Care Future, CLICK HERE.