By Robert Laszewski

The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll on health care should give John McCain reason to be concerned.

The early May poll asked voters, "Regardless of whom you may support, whom do you trust more to handle health care?" The answer was Obama by 55 percent and McCain by 31 percent. And this poll was done a few days after his much publicized week-long health care tour.

McCain also did poorly on the other economic issues, although not as
badly. On gas prices, it was Obama 48 percent and McCain 28 percent. On the economy
in general, it was 48 percent to 38 percent.

McCain did better on the war on terror — 55 percent to 34 percent. The two tied over who would do the best in Iraq. It is still early and polls are notoriously unreliable this far out.
But my sense is that McCain has some big work to do on health care.

He
has the most far-reaching health care proposal because he proposes the
most fundamental change. He calls for an end to the reliance on the
employer-based health insurance system in favor of a plan that builds
upon the individual. That is in many ways to his credit. But the best
health insurance people now have comes through the employer-based
system. This can only be a hard sell for him.

But he also has a health care plan with some very troubling gaps in it.
The biggest having to do with how those with a low income, those with
pre-existing medical conditions, and older people will be able to
access a health insurance plan.

So long as he has these glaring health care gaps McCain can expect to run far behind Obama in health care voter polls.

More THCB election coverage: Download all the candidates’ plans, detailed analysis of Obama’s plan and McCain’s plan.