As the U.S. Supreme Court considers oral arguments about whether corporations should get religious exemptions from providing contraception coverage, a new poll shows a slight majority of people believes companies should have to cover costs of birth control and other contraceptive methods.
The CBS poll of more than 1,000 Americans found 51 percent support mandating companies and nonreligious organizations to provide contraception coverage, even if those corporations object for religious reasons to such treatment. And 42 percent said companies should be able to receive religious exemptions to paying for their employees' contraception coverage. Another 7 percent were undecided.
The poll also revealed 69 percent of Democrats and 50 percent of Independents agree with forcing coverage. Conversely, 65 percent of Republicans support a religious opt-out for certain companies.
Meanwhile, women (55 percent) are more likely than men (47 percent) to support requiring companies provide contraception coverage. But both men and women think all organizations, even religious-based companies, should be able to obtain an exemption to the requirement.
On a related topic, the poll determined more consumers still don't support the Affordable Care Act, with 53 percent disapproving of the law and 41 percent approving it.
Similarly, a survey released Wednesday from the Kaiser Family Foundation found 46 percent of people dislike the healthcare reform law, while 38 percent said they approve.
And a Pew Research Center poll published last week determined about 53 percent of adults disapprove of the ACA while 41 percent approve. However, Pew also found opponents of the healthcare law would rather see elected officials try to make it work rather than see the law fail.
To learn more:
- here's the CBS poll
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