Category: Public Opinion

Public Opinion on Health Policy

Health Policy Public Opinion Data Aggregation: h/t to Blue Texan at FDL for pointing me to this, thanks to www.pollingreport.com for putting it together!

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll.
Feb. 18-19, 2009. N=1,046 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3

“In general, would you favor or oppose a program that would increase the federal government’s influence over the country’s health care system in an attempt to lower costs and provide health care coverage to more Americans?”

Favor Oppose Unsure
2/18-19/09 72% 27% 1%

CBS News/New York Times Poll
Jan. 11-15, 2009. N=1,112 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3

“Should the government in Washington provide national health insurance, or is this something that should be left only to private enterprise?”

Government Private Enterprise Unsure
1/11-15/09 59% 32% 9%
1/79 40% 48% 12%

Quinnipiac University Poll.
Nov. 6-10, 2008. N=2,210 registered voters nationwide. MoE ± 2.1 (for all registered voters).

“Do you think it’s the government’s responsibility to make sure that everyone in the United States has adequate health care, or don’t you think so?”

Think It Is Don’t Think So Unsure
11/6-10/08 60% 36% 4%
Republicans 34% 63% 3%
Democrats 84% 12% 4%
Independents 56% 39% 5%
5/8-12/08 61% 35% 4%
10/23-29/07 57% 38% 5%
2/13-19/07 64% 31% 4%

Poll: Obama Gets Strong Support -Health care nugget.

Poll: Obama Gets Strong Support – WSJ.com:

“On health care, the poll flashed warning signs for the administration.

“Forty-nine percent said they were willing to pay higher taxes so that everyone can have health insurance, compared with 66% who said the same in March 1993, when President Bill Clinton was embarking on his ultimately unsuccessful health-reform effort. That underscores why the administration is focused on cutting costs, not covering the uninsured.”

My take is twofold. First, Americans are paying such a large percentage of household income on health care now, 17% according to Len Nichols at New America, that perhaps they can’t imagine paying more than 17%. I often wonder how people think about this question: Do they think, “Hmm, would I be willing to pay my 17% AND more in taxes” and answer “No,” or do they think, “Hmm, the 17% of my income that goes to health care and my taxes go up some uncertain amount,” and answer “Yes?” (Or maybe they answer “no,” too.)

Or, perhaps they are picking up on the conversations we are having in the health care reform debate and take us at our word. That is, many of us routinely point out that if we truly reform health care, we should eventually be able to spend less overall. If we are right, perhaps consumers are beginning to catch on and realize we might actually end up spending less in the long run and they shouldn’t be expected to pay more of our GDP on health care.

But that would require a lot of average people paying quite a bit of attention…

I can dream, can’t I?

Poll Shows Strong Support for Obama Health Care Reforms – US News and World Report

Poll Shows Strong Support for Obama Health Care Reforms – US News and World Report:

“The poll shows that as Americans learn more about Obama’s anticipated reforms, they seem better able to make up their mind about them — either pro or con. For example, 62 percent of those surveyed who said they knew ‘a lot’ about the new president’s ideas expressed support for the initiatives, with 36 percent opposed and only 2 percent saying they were ‘not sure.’ Among those who said they knew nothing about the Obama proposals, 66 percent remained unsure, 23 percent were supportive, and 11 percent opposed.

“Some other key findings:

“A majority of respondents said the reforms, if carried out, would improve the health care system. Sixty-one percent felt reforms would deliver adequate health insurance to more people, and 54 percent thought health care would be made more cost effective. But a fifth of respondents thought the changes would make the quality of medical care worse, not better.

“Support for the proposals did not vary significantly based on income. Fifty percent of people making between $15,000 and $25,000 annually approved of the Obama plan, compared to 51 percent of those making $50,000 or more. But the gap widened as respondents looked at specific issues, such as the plan’s ability to boost the quality of care or strengthen the economy.

“Predictably, support split along party lines, with three-quarters of Democrats supporting Obama’s overall plan, compared to 26 percent of Republicans. Many Republicans appeared to favor specific elements of the plan, however. For example, 70 percent supported the notion of having Medicare negotiate drug prices, and more than half (53 percent) agreed with offering subsidies to low-income families to ensure universal health coverage”

The full report is here.

Physicians, health, burnout | Salon

Physicians, health, burnout Salon:

“I’m tired. Really tired. I’ve been seeing patients continuously — one every 15 minutes — for five and sometimes six days a week. The pace is nothing new for me or most primary care doctors. But lately it all feels like a game of Jenga, with patients stacked on top of one another like wooden blocks, ready to come tumbling down.”

I’m posting this, not so much for the article itself (about physician burnout), but for the responses/letters. To all doctors, read the letters by clicking “Editor’s Choice” first, so you don’t get too angry or depressed. Then read all the letters.

I just found it very interesting both the animosity and admiration physicians generate among the public. And another common thread is that the public seems to understand that we, too, are entrapped in a lousy system — but also wonder, then, why we aren’t getting the AMA to finally back serious reform.

Cheers,

Public Views on U.S. Health System Organization: A Call for New Directions

Public Views on U.S. Health System Organization: A Call for New Directions:

“Overview

On behalf of The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System, Harris Interactive surveyed a random sample of 1,004 U.S. adults (age 18 and older) to determine their experiences and perspectives on the organization of the nation’s health care system and ways to improve patient care. Eight of 10 respondents agreed that the health system needs either fundamental change or complete rebuilding. Adults’ health care experiences underscore the need to organize care systems to ensure timely access, better coordination, and better flow of information among doctors and patients. There is also a need to simplify health insurance administration. There was broad agreement among survey respondents that wider use of health information systems and greater care coordination could improve patient care. The majority of adults say it is very important for the 2008 presidential candidates to seek reforms to address health care quality, access, and costs.”

Click on the link to dig into the details…

AMNews: June 2, 2008. Individual health insurance: Are mandates ready for prime time? … American Medical News

AMNews: June 2, 2008. Individual health insurance: Are mandates ready for prime time? … American Medical News:

“Last fall, Laura Allen didn’t think Massachusetts’ law requiring everyone to have health insurance would affect her life. She had a customer service job at a rubber stamp company that provided coverage.

But then the 42-year-old Easton, Mass., resident was told she would be laid off before the end of the year. And the new state law imposed a $200 tax penalty on anyone uninsured on Dec. 31, 2007.”

An overview of mandated insurance coverage from Massachusetts to California to the Federal proposal.

But scrolll way down for the public opinion table showing 68% support for mandated insurance:

“The majority of Americans favor the concept of requiring everyone to have health insurance, with government help for those who can’t afford it, according to a June-October 2007 poll of 3,500 adults.
Strongly favor 40%
Somewhat favor 28%
Somewhat oppose 12%
Strongly oppose 13%
Don’t know/refused to answer 7%

Source: Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey”

Most Republicans Think the U.S. Health Care System is the Best in the World. Democrats Disagree. – March 20, 2008 -2008 Releases – Press Releases – Harvard School of Public Health

Most Republicans Think the U.S. Health Care System is the Best in the World. Democrats Disagree. – March 20, 2008 -2008 Releases – Press Releases – Harvard School of Public Health:

“A recent survey by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Harris Interactive, as part of their ongoing series, Debating Health: Election 2008, finds that Americans are generally split on the issue of whether the United States has the best health care system in the world (45% believe the U.S. has the best system; 39% believe other countries have better systems; 15% don’t know or refused to answer) and that there is a significant divide along party lines. Nearly seven-in-ten Republicans (68%) believe the U.S. health care system is the best in the world, compared to just three in ten (32%) Democrats and four in ten (40%) Independents who feel the same way.”

The survey results are here.

Washington State Results — Code Blue Now!

Washington State Results — Code Blue Now!:

“In December 2007, CodeBlueNow! worked with The Gilmore Research Group, a Northwest market research firm, to conduct a phone survey, known as the CodeBlueNow! Pulse®. The CodeBlueNow! Pulse® is intended to gauge the public’s views about priorities in health care reform. CodeBlueNow! intends to use this data to give voice to citizen’s values and ideas on health care reform.”

I haven’t had time to digest all of this. There are both a full report, an executive summary and links to Iowa results on this page.

Just glancing though, I don’t find anything to surprising, though I think some of the results reflect a lack of knowledge of the current system and options by the particpants. For example, asking about “government run healthcare” is so loaded as to beg for an uninformed answer. Perhaps they phrased it better in the telephone scripit, I don’t know. But even so, most people at least recognize how dysfunctional our system is, but possibly don’t appreciate the possibilities and options that could be accomplished with some strong national leadership.