Americans are closely divided on whether it’s a good idea to establish a government health insurance company to compete with private health insurance companies.

Forty-one percent (41%) are in favor of a government-run health insurance plan, while 44% are opposed, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.

Americans are evenly divided over whether a government plan would have an unfair advantage over private insurers. Thirty eight percent (38%) say yes; the identical number (38%) say no.

But a plurality of all Americans (49%) still believes a private health insurance company is likely to provide better service and more choice. Twenty-nine percent (29%) say a government-run plan would do a better job and offer more choice, but one-out-of-five (21%) are not sure which would do better.

One major issue is whether new health care options will allow Americans to choose their own doctors. It is significant to note that just 50% believe the current system allows most Americans to make that choice. Most private sector employees say that Americans today do not have such a choice, but government employees, entrepreneurs, and retirees disagree.

Earlier surveys have shown that few Americans rate the U.S. health care system as good or excellent, but most rate their own insurance coverage in such terms.

For Democrats, health care reform is the most important of Obama’s priorities this year, while Republicans and unaffiliated Americans rate deficit reduction as number one.

Sixty-three percent (63%) of U.S. voters agree with the president that “we must make it a priority to give every single American quality affordable health care.”

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Americans ages 40 to 64 look the idea of a government plan much more than those who are younger and older than they are. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Democrats support a government plan, while 62% of Republicans and 52% of those not affiliated with either party are against the proposal.

In January, 43% of U.S. voters said the quality of health care in America will get worse if a government-run health insurance plan is created to compete with private plans. Thirty-three percent (33%) said quality will get better.

In his health care reform initiative, President Obama appears to be stopping short of proposing a government-run insurance plan because of its potential cost.

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