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Most Americans Support U.S. Guarantee of Health
Care
summary
by Jerry Policoff
The
New York Times is out with a new poll this morning showing dramatic
support for a sweeping overhaul of our health care system. The news
article is attached. Below is a summary of the key poll findings
along with a link to the actual poll results:
Do
you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling health
care?
Approve: 24%
Disapprove: 60%
The most important domestic issue for the President and Congress to
concentrate on right now:
Health insurance for
all: 55%
Strengthening
immigration laws: 19%
Promoting
traditional values: 13%
Reducing taxes: 11%
Overall view of the health care system in the United States:
Only minor changes
are necessary: 8%
Fundamental changes
are needed: 54%
Needs to be
completely rebuilt: 36% (up from 25% in 1999)
Level of satisfaction with health care in this country:
Very satisfied: 11%
Somewhat satisfied:
27%
Somewhat
dissatisfied: 29%
Very dissatisfied:
28%
(Dissatisfaction
trend: Oct'03: 55%: June '04: 47%; July-Sept.'04: 55%; Oct.'04: 43%;
Aug/'06: 51%; Sept. '06: 54%; Feb.'07: 57%)
Level of satisfaction with the cost of health care in this country:
Very satisfied: 3%
Somewhat satisfied:
11%
Somewhat
dissatisfied: 22%
Very dissatisfied:
59%
Which is the more serious problem right now?
Keeping health care
costs down for average Americans? 31%
Providing health
insurance for Americans who do not have any insurance? 65%
Split question, each
asked of half the panel:
A) How serious is it for the U.S. that many Americans lack health
insurance?
Very serious: 70%
Somewhat serius:
25%
Not too serious:
3%
Not at all
serious: 1%
B) How serious is it for the U.S. that many Americans children lack
health insurance?
Very serious: 78%
Somewhat serius:
16%
Not too serious:
4%
Not at all
serious: 1%
Federal government should guarantee health insurance for all
Americans: 64%
Health insurance for
all is not the responsibility of the federal government: 27%
(Guarantee trend:
1996: 56%; 2000: 62%; 2006: 62%; 2007: 64%)
75% of those who
feel that the federal government should guarantee health insurance for
all still felt that way "if that meant the cost of your own insurance
would go up."
Level of concern about the health care costs you and your family might
face in the coming years:
Very concerned: 52%
Somewhat concerned:
37%
Not at all
concerned: 10%
What is more important for the country to do right now?
Maintain tax cuts
enacted in recent years: 18%
Make sure all
Americans have access to health care: 76%
Would you be willing to pay higher taxes so all Americans have health
insurance that they can't lose no matter what?
Willing: 60%
Not willing: 34%
82% of those who said they were willing to pay higher taxes still said
yes if the tax increase were $500 or more).
Worry that, in order
to provide health care for all, the quality of your own health care
will be diminished?
Worry: 40%
Don't worry: 55%
Fair or unfair for the government in Washington to require all
Americans to participate in a national health care plan?
Fair: 43%
Unfair: 48%
Which is better for the country?
One health insurance
program covering all, administered by the government, and paid for by
taxpayers? 47%
Keeping current
system where many get their insurance from private employers and some
have no insurance? 38%
Requiring all Americans to have health
insurance under a plan where employers are required to provide
insurance for all workers or pay into a fund that would buy
insurance for people who do not have it?
Good idea: 36%
Bad idea: 17%
Unsure: 46%
Favor or oppose Congress changing the law to allow Americans to buy
lower cost prescription drugs imported from Canada?
Favor: 77%
Oppose: 16%
Would government do a better or worse job than private insurance
companies in providing medical coverage?
Better: 30%
Worse: 44%
Would the government do a better or worse job than private insurance
companies in holding down health care costs?
Better: 47%
Worse: 37%
Which of the following health care issues would you most like to hear
the 2008 presidential candidates talk about over the next two years?
Reducing health care
Costs: 28%
Expanding health
care coverage for the Uninsured: 34%
Improving the
overall quality of care? 18%
Improving Medicare
prescription drug benefit for seniors: 18%
Do you have confidence in George W.
Bush's ability to make the right decisions about health care or are
you uneasy about his approach?
Confident: 17%
Uneasy: 77%
49% of households have experienced an employer cutting back on health
care benefits or increased the cost for those benefits in recent
years.
Reasons for being uninsured:
Can't afford it: 52%
Unemployed: 14%
Only work part-time:
8%
Job doesn't offer
it: 5%
Don't need it: 2%
How concerned are you that you will have major health care bills in
the next few years?
Very concerned: 36%
Somewhat concerned:
43%
Not at all
concerned: 20%
If
uninsured, have you or anyone in your household ever gone without
medical treatment or care because of its cost?
Yes: 61%
No: 39%
39% of those currently insured fear they or someone in their household
might lose their health insurance in the next five years.
How concerned are you about not having enough money to pay for your
current health costs?
Very concerned: 26%
Somewhat concerned:
38%
Not at all
concerned: 35%
How concerned are you about not having enough money to pay for your
healthcare costs as you age?
Very concerned: 40%
Somewhat concerned:
41%
Not at all
concerned: 19%
Source:
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/national/03022007_poll.pdf
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