The survey,released Wednesday, comes as the issue of transitioning towardMedicare-for-all has become a litmus test for many in theprogressive base. (Photo: Shutterstock)

A majority of Americans support a national “Medicare for All” system, according toa new survey by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation releasedas Democratic presidential candidates jump into the 2020 primaryfield.

Fifty-six percent of Americans said they favor “a national health plan,” sometimes calledMedicare for All, in which all U.S. citizens would gettheir insurance from a single government plan, while 42 percentoppose the idea, the poll found.

The survey, released Wednesday, comes as the issue oftransitioning toward Medicare-for-all has become a litmus test formany in the progressive base as a way of expanding health coverageto all Americans and lowering out-of-pocket costs.

Related: Single-payer vs. Medicare for All: What's thedifference?

Many declared or prospective Democrats candidates have endorsedthe idea of Medicare-for-all, including senators like ElizabethWarren of Massachusetts, New York's Kirsten Gillibrand, Vermont'sBernie Sanders, New Jersey's Cory Booker, and Kamala Harris ofCalifornia as well as former Texas Representative Beto O'Rourke andformer Obama administration official Julian Castro.

Still, the term Medicare-for-all may mean different things todifferent candidates. The Kaiser poll showed greater support forproposals that expand the U.S. health-care program for older peoplewithout eliminating private insurance.

For instance, 74 percent favor creating a government-run planlike Medicare that's open to everyone while also allowing Americansto keep the coverage they have, according to the poll.

At the same time, 77 percent support the idea of allowing peoplebetween the ages of 50 and 64 to buy into Medicare, and 75 percentfavor letting people who don't get coverage through an employer buyhealth insurance through Medicaid, the survey found. The age ofeligibility for Medicare is usually 65.

Public opinion on Medicare-for-all could change if attacks fromconservatives resonate. The Kaiser survey found that public opinionturns more negative on the idea if respondents are told such asystem could cause delays for people seeking care, threaten thecurrent Medicare program, require higher taxes, or eliminateprivate insurance companies.

The poll was conducted between Jan. 9-14, among a representativesample of 1,190 adults across the nation, and has a margin of errorof plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Read more:

• Forget Medicare for All; more states eye Medicaidbuy-in
• Next up for GOP: Shooting down Medicare forAll
• Single-payer gains momentum among AMAdoctors

Copyright 2019 Bloomberg. All rightsreserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten,or redistributed.