One week after President Obama’s speech to Congress, opposition to his health care reform plan has reached a new high of 55%. The latest Rasmussen Reports daily tracking poll shows that just 42% now support the plan, matching the low first reached in August.

A week ago, 44% supported the proposal and 53% were opposed. Following the speech last Wednesday night intended to relaunch the health care initiative, support for the president’s effort bounced as high as 51% (see day-by-day numbers). But the new numbers suggest that support for health care reform is now about the same as it was in August.

Seventy-four percent (74%) of Democrats now support the plan while 80% of Republicans are opposed. Among those not affiliated with either major party, 67% are opposed.

The latest figures show that, overall, 23% Strongly Favor the plan and 44% are Strongly Opposed. In late August, those figures were 23% and 43% respectively.

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll is another indicator of the speech's impact, and there, too, the bounce in approval Obama has been getting since the Wednesday night speech appears to have ended. Job Approval ratings are updated each morning at 9:30 EDT.

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Rasmussen Reports will continue tracking support for the health care plan for the next two nights and will release the new findings the following morning at 9 EDT. After this week, Rasmussen Reports will continue tracking the issue on a weekly basis.

While some Democrats have charged that opposition to the president’s plan is based upon racism, just 12% of voters agree.

Despite declining overall support, 51% still say that health care reform is at least somewhat likely to pass this year. That figure includes 18% who say passage is Very Likely.

If the plan passes, 24% of voters say the quality of care will get better and 50% say it will get worse. In August, the numbers were 23% better and 50% worse.

Fifty-three percent (53%) say passage of the plan will make the cost of health care go up while 17% say it will make costs go down. In August, 52% thought the plan would lead to higher costs, and 17% thought it would achieve the stated goal of lowering costs.

Prior to the president's speech, most people with insurance said it’s likely they would be forced to change coverage if the plan passes. As Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, explained in a recent Wall Street Journal column: “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.”

Voters overwhelmingly believe that every American should be able to buy the same health insurance plan that Congress has. Most favor limits on jury awards for medical malpractice claims and think that tort reform will significantly reduce the cost of health care.

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