By Heidi Przybyla - 2012-06-21T00:00:00Z

Republicans have pledged to repeal and replace President Barack Obamas health-care overhaul. If the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the law, they may struggle to deliver on the second part of their vow.

A plurality of Americans, 43 percent, say they want to retain the 2010 law with only small modifications, while 15 percent say the measure should be left alone, a Bloomberg National Poll shows. One-third say it should be repealed.

The court will rule in the next week on the constitutionality of the law, the centerpiece of which is the mandate that most Americans buy insurance or pay a fine.

A rejection of all or part of the Affordable Care Act would be a setback for Obama, undercutting his biggest legislative victory. It would also present a challenge to Republicans. With elections approaching, House Republicans are signaling they have no immediate replacement to offer.

If youre out to get more votes in six months, coming forward with a detailed program is not the optimal strategy, said Henry Aaron, a health-policy scholar at the Brookings Institution in Washington. Republicans have little to gain in proposing a comprehensive plan since it may draw criticism from health-care providers or consumers, he said.

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican, said on June 19 the House would take a step-by-step approach to revamping health care.

A number of the laws features are popular. Laetitia Adam, a 33-year-old independent voter from Miami, said she supports the insurance mandate as well as the provision allowing children up to age 26 to stay on their parents health plans.

For the most part, I agree with the law as it is, Adam, a respondent to the June 15-18 poll, said in a follow-up interview. You cant afford to get sick without insurance, said the graphic artist. The law just needs to be made more simple.

In a nod to public support for aspects of the law, insurers UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH), Aetna Inc. (AET) and Humana Inc. (HUM) said this month they would retain some benefits even if the court strikes down the law, including allowing young adults to stay on their parents plans and offering free preventive care.

The rest is here:

Americans Want Health-Law Revisions Rather Than Repeal