Just 35% of U.S. voters now support the creation of a government health insurance company to compete with private health insurers.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 50% of voters oppose setting up a government health insurance company as President Obama and congressional Democrats are now proposing in their health care reform plan. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided.

In mid-June, 41% of American adults thought setting up a government health insurance company to compete with private health insurance companies was a good idea, but the identical number (41%) disagreed.

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Fifty-nine percent (59%) of Democrats favor the creation of a government insurance alternative. But Republicans (73%) and voters not affiliated with either party (62%) are opposed.

Seventy-one percent (71%) of liberals like the plan for a government insurance company, while 76% of conservatives are against it.

Forty-nine percent (49%) of voters now at least somewhat oppose the Democrats’ health care reform plan, while 46% at least somewhat favor it.

Seventy-eight percent (78%) of voters say it is at least somewhat likely that taxes will be raised on the middle class to cover the cost of the health care reform plan.

Democrats in the House want to tax wealthier Americans to help fund their health care reform plans, but voters are closely divided over whether that's such a good idea .

Forty-five percent (45%) of Americans believe health care reform will increase the cost of health insurance coverage while just 19% believe it will reduce costs.

Seventy-two percent (72%) of voters say they are following the congressional debate on health care reform at least somewhat closely, with 36% who are following very closely. Just four percent (4%) say they are not following at all.

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