On the same topic of “it’s all about the way you ask the question.†How do you think Americans would respond to these polling queries:
Q: Do you want the government to use its muscle to lower the price of gasoline?
Q: Do you want the government to use its muscle to lower the price of foreign imports?
Q: Do you want the government to use its muscle to lower the price of cars?
Q: Do you want the government to use its muscle to lower the price of meat?
Q: Do you want the government to use its muscle to lower the price of box seats at Yankee Stadium?
It’d be pretty easy to get an 85% “yes†rate to any of those questions – unless, per the last one, you’re a Red Sox fan.
So, rather than asking, as the Kaiser Family Foundation did, “Do you think the government should use its buying power to negotiate drug prices,†perhaps we should ask …
Q: Do you favor government price negotiations if it means you will not be able to receive the medicine your doctor has prescribed?
Q: Do you favor price negotiations if it means reducing investment in stem cell research and cures for cancer?
or ...
Q: Do you favor price negotiations even though the non-partisan GAO has reported that government price negotiations will not lower drug prices?
Field our own survey? Maybe we’ll do just that.
Q: Do you want the government to use its muscle to lower the price of gasoline?
Q: Do you want the government to use its muscle to lower the price of foreign imports?
Q: Do you want the government to use its muscle to lower the price of cars?
Q: Do you want the government to use its muscle to lower the price of meat?
Q: Do you want the government to use its muscle to lower the price of box seats at Yankee Stadium?
It’d be pretty easy to get an 85% “yes†rate to any of those questions – unless, per the last one, you’re a Red Sox fan.
So, rather than asking, as the Kaiser Family Foundation did, “Do you think the government should use its buying power to negotiate drug prices,†perhaps we should ask …
Q: Do you favor government price negotiations if it means you will not be able to receive the medicine your doctor has prescribed?
Q: Do you favor price negotiations if it means reducing investment in stem cell research and cures for cancer?
or ...
Q: Do you favor price negotiations even though the non-partisan GAO has reported that government price negotiations will not lower drug prices?
Field our own survey? Maybe we’ll do just that.
