CBS NEWS POLL For Release: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 6:30 pm ET Health Care, Economy, Immigration

October 18-21, 2013

More Americans continue to disapprove (51%) than approve of the health care law (43%). Most expect their own health care costs to rise and four in 10 think the quality will fall because of the law. Only 12% of Americans think the sign-up for health insurance exchanges is going well; 49% say it is not. Most (66%) still say the economy is in bad shape, and 38% now think it is getting worse the highest since December 2011. 77% of Americans support a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants if certain requirements are met, but more think border security should be a higher priority (50%) than addressing the status of illegal immigrants (43%). The Affordable Care Act The signup process on the web site for the new health care exchanges has had well-publicized problems since its launch earlier this month. Many Americans seem to be aware of those issues: only 12% think the sign up process is going well, while far more -- 49% -- say it is not going well. However, more than a third of Americans cant evaluate how signup is going. So Far, How is Signup on Health Care Exchanges Going? Well 12% Not well 49 Dont know enough to say 38 Overall views of the 2010 health care law are the same as they were when the program launched earlier in October. More Americans disapprove (51%) than approve of it (43%). Views continue to be highly partisan: 74% of Democrats approve of it, compared to 87% of Republicans who disapprove. 55% of independents disapprove. Views of the Health Care Law 10/1-2/2013 9/2013 7/2013 43% 39% 36% 51 51 54 6 10 10

Approve Disapprove Dont know

Now 43% 51 6

5/2010 43% 47 10

3/2010 32% 53 15

43% of Americans overall think the law goes too far in changing the countrys health care system. Among those who disapprove of it, 75% think it goes too far, but another 12% think it does not go far enough. 1

How Far Does Health Care Law go in Changing the Health Care System? View of Health Care Law Total Approve Disapprove Too far 43% 8% 75% Not far enough 22 36 12 About right 29 53 10 Throughout CBS News polling on the subject, Americans have consistently expected that the new health care law will lead to an increase in their own health care costs. Also, 40% think the quality of their own health care will get worse. Views have changed little since the law was enacted in March 2010. How will Health Care Law Affect ? Now 3/2012 3/2010 The cost of your health care Increase 53% 52% 52% Decrease 14 15 14 No effect 27 27 27 The quality of your health care Get better Get worse No effect

16% 40 40

17% 33 43

17% 39 38

Those who disapprove of the law are especially likely to say they expect their costs to rise and the quality of their care to worsen. The Economy Most Americans continue to view the condition of the national economy negatively. Two thirds think it is in bad shape; just 32% think it is good. Condition of the Economy 9/2013 1/2013 10/2012 35% 32% 32% 63 66 67

Good Bad

Now 32% 66

12/2011 13% 86

And theres more pessimism about the direction the economy is headed. 38% now think the economy is getting worse up 11 points from last month and the highest number in nearly two years. Only 21% now feel the economy is improving; 41% say it is staying the same. Direction of the Economy 9/2013 1/2013 10/2012 29% 33% 38 27 30 27 44 36 34

Better Worse Same

Now 21% 38 41

12/2011 21% 39 40

The economy and jobs remain the top concern for Americans, but more are now concerned about the budget deficit and partisan politics then last month.

Most Important Problem Now 9/2013 Economy & Jobs 26% 34% Budget deficit/debt 12 6 Partisan politics 8 4 Health care 8 8 Government Spending

5/2013 34% 6 3 5

With more budget negotiations on the horizon, Americans were asked to choose which of the largest items in the federal budget they would be most willing to change in order to cut spending. More choose military spending (41%), over Medicare (23%) or Social Security (16%). Cutting military spending is the top choice of Democrats (51%) and independents (41%), while Republicans are more inclined to choose Medicare (30%). Which Would You Change to Cut Spending? Total Reps Dems Inds Military 41% 27% 51% 41% Medicare 23 30 18 24 Social Security 16 24 8 18 Immigration There is widespread support for providing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants in the U.S. if they meet certain requirements, including a waiting period, paying fines and back taxes, passing criminal background checks and learning English. 77% favor that; just 20% oppose. Support cuts across partisan lines. Path to Citizenship for Illegal Immigrants in U.S. if Conditions Met All Reps Dems Inds Favor 77% 69% 87% 75% Oppose 20 28 11 22 Still, more Americans (50%) think securing the nations border should be a higher priority than addressing the status of illegal immigrants (43%). Republicans are more likely than Democrats and independents to place a priority on border security. Which Should be a Higher Priority? All Reps Dems Inds Securing the border 50% 56% 47% 48% Addressing status of illegal immigrants 43 37 46 44 _______________________________________________________________________
This poll was conducted by telephone October 18-21, 2013 among 1,007 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by Social Science Research Solutions of Media, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish . This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

CBS NEWS POLL Health Care, Economy, Immigration October 18-21, 2013 Q3 What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today? TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 26 20 25 30 12 19 7 13 8 10 8 6 8 6 10 7 5 3 8 5 3 3 2 3 3 8 3 2 1 2 3 2 2 2 1 2 1 3 3 2 6 * 2 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 21 21 22 20 2 3 2 2

Economy / Jobs Budget Healthcare Partisan Politics Misc. govt issues Immigration President/Barack Obama Education Foreign Aid Politicians/corrupt Republicans Big Government Congress Other Don't know/No answer

Sep13d % 34 6 8 4 3 1 2 3 1 2 1 1 1 29 4

Q10 How would you rate the condition of the national economy these days? Is it very good, fairly good, fairly bad, or very bad? Sep13d 1 34 39 24 1

Very good Fairly good Fairly bad Very bad Don't know/No answer

2 30 37 29 1

2 16 41 40 1

2 42 37 18 1

2 29 35 31 2

Q11 Do you think the economy is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same? Better Worse Same Don't know/No answer 21 38 41 1 10 53 36 1 31 27 41 1 19 37 42 1 29 27 44 *

Q38 From what you've heard or read, do you approve or disapprove of the health care law that was enacted in 2010? TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total Rep Dem % % % 23 3 48 20 7 26 14 16 9 37 71 10 6 4 7

Strongly approve Somewhat approve Somewhat disapprove Strongly disapprove Don't know/ No answer

Ind % 16 22 17 38 6

Oct13a % 21 22 11 40 6

Q39 Does the 2010 health care law go too far in changing the U.S. health care system, not far enough, or is it about right? Too far Not far enough About right Dont know/No Answer 43 22 29 5 72 7 13 8 15 36 45 4 48 21 26 4 43 20 31 6

Q40 Do you think the 2010 health care law will eventually increase your own health care costs, will eventually lower your own health care costs, or don't you think it will have much effect on your own health care costs? Mar12b* 52 15 27 6

Increase Decrease No effect Dont know/No Answer

*omits 2010

53 14 27 6

74 2 22 2

35 20 40 5

55 16 21 8

Q41 Do you think that the 2010 health care law will make the quality of health care you receive better, will make the quality of health care you receive worse, or don't you think it will have much effect on the quality of your health care? Better Worse No effect Dont know/No Answer
*omits 2010

16 40 40 4

3 71 21 5

30 13 53 4

12 43 41 4

17 33 43 7

Q41a As you may know, as part of the 2010 health care law, health insurance exchanges have opened up so people can sign up for health insurance. Based on what youve heard or read, has the sign-up for the health care exchanges been going very well, somewhat well, not very well, not at all well, or dont you know enough to say? Very well Somewhat well Not very well Not at all well Dont know enough to say Dont know/No Answer 4 8 22 27 38 * 2 1 20 46 30 1 6 14 22 15 43 * 4 7 23 26 39 * 5

Q47 As you may know, the largest items in the federal budget are (Medicare, that is the government health insurance program for seniors), (Social Security), and (the military). If you HAD to choose ONE, which of the following programs would you be willing to change in order to cut spending (Medicare), (Social Security), or (the military)? TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total Rep Dem % % % 23 30 18 16 24 8 41 27 51 20 19 23

Medicare Social Security The Military Don't know/No answer

Ind % 24 18 41 17

Sep13d % 20 14 49 17

Q49 Would you favor or oppose providing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants in the U.S. if they met certain requirements including a waiting period, paying fines and back taxes, passing criminal background checks, and learning English? Jul13b 78 20 2

Favor Oppose Don't know/ No answer

77 20 3

69 28 3

87 11 2

75 22 3

Q50 Which should be the higher priority now (Securing the nations border), or (Addressing the status of illegal immigrants currently in the U.S.)? Securing the border Addressing status Both (vol.) Neither (vol.) Don't know/ No answer 50 43 5 1 2 56 37 6 * 47 46 4 * 2 48 44 5 1 2 56 37 5 1 1

Total Respondents Total Republicans Total Democrats Total Independents

UNWEIGHTED WEIGHTED 1007 240 344 423 239 324 444