The Big Dig

  • by: |
  • 03/17/2010

Health reform is a rough ride, so here’s a germane quote from America’s favorite rough rider -- Teddy Roosevelt:

 

“When you are in a hole – stop digging.”

 

Germane, because of some new poll numbers on health care reform.

 

According to a new national poll from GfK Roper (sponsored by CMPI-Advance), 70% of Americans oppose using budget reconciliation to pass health care reform and 60% believe it is unfair for House leadership to have the option to introduce a procedural rule that would “deem” the Senate health care reform bill as being passed without actually voting on the legislation itself.

 

Americans do not support for increasing Medicare payroll taxes for the high wage earners (46% support, 47% oppose) or reducing what doctors and hospitals are paid for their services (45% support, 48% oppose).  The survey shows that Americans are evenly split in their belief that the Congressional health care proposal will increase taxes and premiums for the 73 million Americans with health insurance (as estimated by the Joint Committee on Taxation).

 

Other findings include:

 

·      81% of those polled strongly oppose health care reforms that would increase insurance premiums for healthy people to offset premiums of people who wait until they are diagnosed with an illness to purchase insurance.

 

·      80% oppose allowing the government to decide what kind of health care coverage Americans are able to purchase.

 

·      87% oppose having a government panel recommend or decide what medical procedures or medical advances your doctor can use or your health plan can pay for.

 

·      84% support reforms that would allow people to buy health insurance across state lines.

 

·      3 out of 4 Americans oppose healthcare reforms that would raise taxes and cut Medicare benefits to pay for health care subsidies for expanded coverage for the uninsured.

 

·      84% support healthcare reforms that would let people get lower premiums for getting or staying healthy.  

 

Complete survey results can be found here.

 

Madame Speaker – stop digging.

 

Survey Methodology

 

GfK Roper completed 1,000 interviews, made up of male and female adults (in approximately equal number), all 18 years of age and over.  The interviews were conducted between March 12 and March 14, 2010. The margin of error for this study is ± 3 percentage points. 

 

Sampling for this study was conducted using a national probability sample of all exchanges and area codes across the continental United States. All interviews were conducted using a computer-assisted telephone interviewing system. Statistical weights were designed from United States Census Bureau statistics.

CMPI

Center for Medicine in the Public Interest is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization promoting innovative solutions that advance medical progress, reduce health disparities, extend life and make health care more affordable, preventive and patient-centered. CMPI also provides the public, policymakers and the media a reliable source of independent scientific analysis on issues ranging from personalized medicine, food and drug safety, health care reform and comparative effectiveness.

Blog Roll

Alliance for Patient Access Alternative Health Practice
AHRP
Better Health
BigGovHealth
Biotech Blog
BrandweekNRX
CA Medicine man
Cafe Pharma
Campaign for Modern Medicines
Carlat Psychiatry Blog
Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry: A Closer Look
Conservative's Forum
Club For Growth
CNEhealth.org
Diabetes Mine
Disruptive Women
Doctors For Patient Care
Dr. Gov
Drug Channels
DTC Perspectives
eDrugSearch
Envisioning 2.0
EyeOnFDA
FDA Law Blog
Fierce Pharma
fightingdiseases.org
Fresh Air Fund
Furious Seasons
Gooznews
Gel Health News
Hands Off My Health
Health Business Blog
Health Care BS
Health Care for All
Healthy Skepticism
Hooked: Ethics, Medicine, and Pharma
Hugh Hewitt
IgniteBlog
In the Pipeline
In Vivo
Instapundit
Internet Drug News
Jaz'd Healthcare
Jaz'd Pharmaceutical Industry
Jim Edwards' NRx
Kaus Files
KevinMD
Laffer Health Care Report
Little Green Footballs
Med Buzz
Media Research Center
Medrants
More than Medicine
National Review
Neuroethics & Law
Newsbusters
Nurses For Reform
Nurses For Reform Blog
Opinion Journal
Orange Book
PAL
Peter Rost
Pharm Aid
Pharma Blog Review
Pharma Blogsphere
Pharma Marketing Blog
Pharmablogger
Pharmacology Corner
Pharmagossip
Pharmamotion
Pharmalot
Pharmaceutical Business Review
Piper Report
Polipundit
Powerline
Prescription for a Cure
Public Plan Facts
Quackwatch
Real Clear Politics
Remedyhealthcare
Shark Report
Shearlings Got Plowed
StateHouseCall.org
Taking Back America
Terra Sigillata
The Cycle
The Catalyst
The Lonely Conservative
TortsProf
Town Hall
Washington Monthly
World of DTC Marketing
WSJ Health Blog