[redorbit] Many U.S. adults say they believe what the White House has dubbed myths or untruths about healthcare reform, a survey indicates.

A national survey for the Indiana University Center for Health Policy and Professionalism Research and the Indiana University Center for Bioethics says about six out of 10 Americans — 78 percent of Republicans, 30 percent of Democrats, 58 percent of Independents — say they believe under healthcare reform taxpayers will have to pay for abortions, something Dr. Aaron Carroll, director of CHPPR, says is untrue.

Sixty-seven percent of Americans — 91 percent of Republicans, 37 percent of Democrats, 72 percent of Independents — say they believe wait times for healthcare services such as surgery will increase after healthcare reform.

Forty-six percent — 66 percent of Republicans, 29 percent of Democrats, 43 percent of Independents — say they believe reforms will result in healthcare coverage for all illegal immigrants. Three out of 10 Americans — 53 percent of Republicans, 14 percent of Democrats, 31 percent of Independents — say they believe after reforms the government will require the elderly to make decisions about how and when they will die.

If the White House hopes to convince the majority of Americans that they are misinformed about healthcare reform, there is much work to be done, Carroll says in a statement.

The poll of 600 U.S. adults, conducted by Market Strategies International Aug. 14-18, has a margin of error of plus/minus 4 percentage points.

Source: United Press International