Forty-five percent (45%) of Americans say the cost of prescription drugs will go up if the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats becomes law.

New Rasmussen Reports national telephone polling finds that just 18% think the cost of prescription drugs will go down if the health care plan passes. Twenty percent (20%) say the cost will remain about the same, and 17% are not sure.

Thirty-five percent (35%) of adults already say they are paying more for prescription drugs than they were six months ago. Fifty-two percent (52%) say they are not paying more for prescription drugs, and 13% are not sure.

Twenty-nine percent (29%) say they have decided not to fill a prescription in the past six months because the cost was too high. Sixty-four percent (64%) say cost has not kept them from filling a prescription. Those figures are little changed since June.

Among adults who currently have health insurance, 26% say they have not filled a prescription in the last six months because of the high cost, compared to 44% of those without insurance.

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The New York Times reported earlier this week that the wholesale price of brand-name prescription drugs has risen roughly nine percent in the past year. “By at least one analysis, it is the highest annual rate of inflation for drug prices since 1992,” the newspaper said.

Forty-seven percent (47%) of voters now favor the health care plan proposed by the president and congressional Democrats. With the exception of bounces following nationally televised presidential appeals, that’s the highest level of support measured all year. Forty-nine percent (49%) remain opposed to the plan.

Americans who currently have health insurance are more likely to expect drug prices to rise if the health care plan becomes law than are those who are uninsured. This once again highlights the point made by Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, in the Wall Street Journal: “The most important fundamental is that 68% of American voters have health insurance coverage they rate good or excellent. … Most of these voters approach the health care reform debate fearing that they have more to lose than to gain.”

Fifty percent (50%) of married voters say drug prices will increase if the health care plan becomes law, but just 36% of unmarrieds agree.

Republicans and voters not affiliated with either major political party continue to be more skeptical of the health care plan than members of the president’s party are. Sixty-six percent (66%) of Republicans and a plurality (48%) of unaffiliateds say the cost of prescription drugs will go up if the plan becomes law.

Democrats are more narrowly divided on the question but a plurality(31%) believe prescription drug prices will go down.

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