Public Opinion on Health Care

Open ended questions about whether or not people support “universal healthcare” have consistently polled in the 60-70% in favor range for at least a decade.

Salem-News.com

(EUGENE, Ore.) - I have read a number of comments in regards to articles on health care making fictitious claims about public opinions on health care. Comments such as: “The vast super majority of us here are satisfied with our medical care.” In order to shed some light on these claims, I have compiled a review of some polling data on health care issues.

Polls themselves are not a basis for making policy. A random sample of the opinions of a couple hundred people on a facile question is not how decisions are made in a democracy. That said, it is worth looking at some actual polls of public opinions concerning health care in the United States, simply to gauge how this issue is viewed by the public at large.

CBS News Poll:

“Which of the following three statements comes closest to expressing your overall view of the health care system in the United States? (1) On the whole, the health care system works pretty well and only minor changes are necessary to make it work better. OR, (2) There are some good things in our health care system, but fundamental changes are needed. OR, (3) Our health care system has so much wrong with it that we need to completely rebuild it.”

In the latest polling on this question, from October 5-8, 2009, 15% said the health care system works pretty well, and only needs minor changes. 53% responded that fundamental changes were needed. 31% responded that it needed to be completely rebuilt.

This same question has been asked in polls since 2006. Over that time, the percentage who thinks that the health care system works pretty well has ranged from 8% to 19%. Those thinking that fundamental changes are needed have ranged from 49% to 56%. Those calling for a complete rebuild have ranged from 27% to 38%.

[Note: a poll like this likely has a “moderation bias” where people are more likely to choose the middle-of-the-road option, even if it does not reflect their true opinion.]

"Would you favor or oppose the government offering everyone a government-administered health insurance plan -- something like the Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get -- that would compete with private health insurance plans?"

This question was asked on a bi-weekly basis from June till October of last year, with respondents in favor ranging from 60% to 72% and opposition ranging from 20% to 34%.

Gallop Poll – November 11-14 2007

"What would you say is the most urgent health problem facing this country at the present time?" (Open Ended – Respondents not given options, only state their response)

Access - 30%
Cost - 26%
Cancer - 14%
Obesity - 10%
AIDS - 2%
Diabetes - 2%
Other - 8%
Unsure - 9%

This is a brilliant question in a way, because the responses show a majority of people whose greatest health care concern is not disease, but the health care system itself. It should also be noted that the diseases people are most worried about are to a great extent “lifestyle” diseases that result from low quality food and other poisonous products and waste.

Pew Research Center poll

"Do you favor or oppose changing the health care system in this country so that all Americans have health insurance that covers all medically necessary care?"

This question was asked in June of 2009, and 75% of respondents were in favor of creating a system that guarantees access to medically necessary care for all Americans. The same question was asked in June of 1994, and 76% of respondents replied in favor.

It should be understood that with polling, it is possible to get respondents to say just about anything, even in a random sample. Responses are very much a function of the questions asked, and because they are immediate, they generally reflect an emotional response to the words or phrases used in the question.

If a firm wants to rig a poll, then they simply run a multitude of different question constructions until they get the results they want, and then make a press release and spin the result to whatever argument they are trying to validate.

Open ended questions about whether or not people support “universal healthcare” have consistently polled in the 60-70% in favor range for at least a decade (this is what I have seen, if you dig up the research, you will probably find this going back even further).

Once you put politicians, political parties, and the Federal Government into the question, numbers plummet. This is no mystery. The Federal Government is corrupt. People have little confidence in congress, and for good reason.

However, to make the leap that the Federal Government should not enact the policies that the majority of the public wants because the majority of the public also lacks confidence in them is insane. The majority of the public lacks confidence in the Federal Government precisely because it stubbornly refuses to enact the policies they actually need and want.

pollingreport.com/health.htm

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Salem-News.com Business/Economy Reporter Ersun Warncke is a native Oregonian. He has a degree in Economics from Portland State University and studied Law at University of Oregon. At a young age, his career spans a wide variety of fields, from fast food, to union labor, to computer programming. He has published works concerning economics, business, government, and media on blogs for several years. He currently works as an independent software designer specializing in web based applications, open source software, and peer-to-peer (P2P) applications.

Ersun describes his writing as being "in the language of the boardroom from the perspective of the shop floor." He adds that "he has no education in journalism other than reading Hunter S. Thompson." But along with life comes the real experience that indeed creates quality writers. Right now, every detail that can help the general public get ahead in life financially, is of paramount importance.

You can write to Ersun at: warncke@comcast.net