NBC To Test Public Option As Choice And Alternative In Next Survey

Critics who called out the NBC poll for excising the word "choice" from its question about a public option for health insurance will be happier by next month's survey, which will ask the question both with and without that key element.

Supporters of the public option were upset by Tuesday's survey which, after the language change, found support for a government-run alternative to private insurance down a staggering 33 percent, to 43 percent, in just two months.

NBC's White House correspondent Chuck Todd told the Huffington Post on Wednesday afternoon that pollsters Bill McInturff and Peter Hart will ask respondents two questions regarding the public plan for their September study.

The first: "Would you favor or oppose creating a public health care plan administered by the federal government that would compete directly with private health insurance companies?"

The second: "In any health care proposal, how important do you feel it is to give people a choice of both a public plan administered by the federal government and a private plan for their health insurance?"

The inclusion of both questions should provide an interesting window into how slight changes in messaging can (or don't) drastically alter the health care debate. The latter question, which emphasizes the idea of having something publicly run, was asked in an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll in June with 76 percent of respondents saying they felt it was either extremely or quite important to have a public option. The former question was asked in July and August, with 46 and 43 percent of respondents respectively saying they favored a public option.

Todd's decision to put both questions in the mix also should placate a host of progressive health care proponents who were critical of the NBC pollsters.

On Wednesday, Todd defended the decision to drop "choice" from the survey, calling the word a "trigger" that sent a certain "message" to respondents. And while he argued that the revised way of asking the question was "very neutral" he admitted that the idea of putting both options side by side was "something we wanted to test."

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Comments

[IncludeMeOut]

11:28 AM on 08/21/2009

The word choice is not a trigger-it is integral to the question. What BS.

[StellaRay]

05:45 PM on 08/20/2009

I'm watching Mathews, who made a big deal out of the NBC poll yesterday, and with 20 minutes left has yet to mention the USA poll. Maybe he will in the end, but I suspect there will be much less notice in the media of this USA poll that has 77% for the public option. Not near as much fun to talk about as that NBC poll.

[jerichoj8]

05:17 PM on 08/20/2009

If NBC asks the same people both questions in that order it will bias the poll away from choice.

Todd knows this.

Todd's a sellout.

[yankees]

05:09 PM on 08/20/2009

The fix is in. Brought to you by GE, the company that stands to make Billions from this administration.

[L-DUB]

05:31 PM on 08/20/2009

How??? Please share.

[BrighterStar]

03:59 PM on 08/20/2009

Of course the public option in the plan really is not an option. No private company will be able to turn a profit so the only option will be the public option. In reality this is just a back door to single payer. Obama's dishonesty with the American people apparently knows no bounds.

[jsob]

04:14 PM on 08/20/2009

Then why are FedEx and UPS able to make a profit competing against the USPS?

[Angelus2007]

04:43 PM on 08/20/2009

They offer services (at least until recently) that USPS don't offer. They would come daily to your location to take your packages, and give you the ability to bill you, long before USPS would do it. I know they mailman comes everyday, but won't take large pacakages.

[BrighterStar]

05:46 PM on 08/20/2009

Because UPS and FedEx will not face the killer regulation that will be in place for Private health insurance.

[MJD NewYork]

04:23 PM on 08/20/2009

You're kidding, right? Can forward all your comments on the endless, provable dishonesty, lying, and fabricating that the Bush Administration engaged in that resulted in the biggest foreign policy disaster in American History? Can I see those comments? Because apparently you are morally outraged that a President would actually MISLEAD the American people ,right?

[JoeSausage]

03:10 PM on 08/20/2009

That pesky "choice"! Hasn't the anti-choice lobby already vilified the word "choice", like Republicans have vilifeied the word "liberal" There will be NO "choice" in the language of American politics. Choice? What are you, a frigging Communist?

[madusher]

02:55 PM on 08/20/2009

You can choose the public plan or the private plan, that would be refferred to as A CHOICE!!!!! Chuck Todd is such an idiot sometimes.

[LucieLee]

01:54 PM on 08/20/2009

Corporate media manipulation! Imagine that!!!

[carljr]

12:31 PM on 08/20/2009

'choice is trigger?' What does Todd think 'compete directly' is?'
The second question corresponds to an industry centric concern while the first question corresponds to a consumer-focused concern.

They're going to get more spurious results given this sharp dichotomy in the questions.

Bad polling.

[ptfcNassoc]

12:58 PM on 08/20/2009

Also the public option would be a "choice". So I don't get it. Are you NOT supposed to be truthful and detailed about a certain plan when asking a person's opinion about it. The second question is the perfect and only question needed because that exactly what it is, a choice between a public option and private insurance.

[wldone]

12:08 PM on 08/20/2009

Common sense

I have saved $500.00 to spend on my 2 kids for back to school clothing.
One of my credit cards is maxed out the other has 15% interest on unpaid balances
My oldest child worked and saved money for the summer but my youngest played all summer
I cannot purchase equally for my 2 boys as there was not a decrease in clothing cost what should I do when the total cost of the clothing is $600.00

1. Go ahead and buy them and not pay my lights, gas or water bill?
2. Ask my oldest to pay part of his because he worked and can afford it (of course the child that played all summer gets his for free)
3. Charge it on my high interest card and worry about how I will pay it off later.
4. Or could it be that I would ration and tell my boys what they can have or not have?

Real life example of common sense budgeting. Just apply this scenario to health care reform. A budget - something the democrats know nothing about. Someone will pay for it or it will be rationed. If there isn’t money to pay everyone then the cost will be added to our debt or taxes will be increased. Very simple and why you don’t get it is way beyond me!

[nomobull]

12:51 PM on 08/20/2009

your scenario is based on the belief that the uninsured are people that don't work. or never worked . my sister worked at a mill for 11 years it closed. they paid for her to go to school. she got her cna certification. she works in a nursing home and as a home care giver. right now she needs surgery for a blockage in a portion of her intestines.currently she is shopping around for an insurance that her surgeon will except .that will pay for a preexisting condition and that she can afford. she continues to work. so please tell me how does she and millions like her fit into your bs scenario.

[wldone]

01:38 PM on 08/20/2009

No my scenario is based on the belief that our goverment cannot pay for what they promise and they will have to ration. There is no money to pay for it. They are doing nothing to cut cost . The only plan they have it to put the insurance companies out of business. Have you ever heard of a hidden tax? You still pay for it, or someone goes without. Hence the rationing they keep telling you wont occur. I have absolutly no problem what so ever paying for those who cannot pay because they are unable. This is what Medicade and Medicare are for. I think we need reform as I am just as concerned as the next person what I would do if I lost my job and my insurance. I just do not think the goverment is telling the truth and the common sense senario I used above it what is just that... common sense.
.

[ptfcNassoc]

01:05 PM on 08/20/2009

In addition to nomobull comment I would like to add,

The public option is not free, nothing is free. Yes someone will pay for it. Us, taxpayers. We all will chip in and pay a little (yes the weatlhiest 2% will pay a lot larger percentage but tough cookies, not shedding a tear because they now only have 3 yatchs instead of 5). Therefore it will not be "rationed", it's paid for, just like social security and medicare is paid for, you know it comes out of your check next time you want to look at your check stub. Also, you did a great job illustrating your financial hardships as you try to take care of your children. What happens if one of your sons gets cancer? I'll be fighting for the public option for your sons and everyone elses sons that could get a serious illness.

[wldone]

01:44 PM on 08/20/2009

And do you have any idea at all that those systems are broke? Where are you going to get the money? Print it? No if more money is going out than is coming in it will end up as a deficit. We are 1.53 trillion in debt right now. Do you have any idea what that means to you and your kids future? Do you think we can continure to pile on debt with no Consequences? I would not mind paying for it if I felt that they would not have to ration. My common sense tells me there is no way... You really should go look at Canada and see how well the system is working for them right now... please...

[power1]

11:59 AM on 08/20/2009

This is shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.

[LaFilleEnRose]

11:37 AM on 08/20/2009

The reason is that people are being told (I'm getting the same emails) that the public option is mandatory even for those who already have good coverage. People are being told they will have to give up their good coverage and that the president and congress won't have to that they can keep their good coverage. I mean. How can a country with so much freedom of the press become like a totalitarian state where information is propaganda. What is this but corporate propaganda that has infected the news as well. It is sad very very sad.

[wldone]

02:28 PM on 08/20/2009

What is in the bill currently is that if you lose your coverage you must (it is madatory) go to the public option. No one on the right is telling giving out that information and I should know because I listen to them. The truth is however in theory, most employeers will not be able to provide workers current coverage because the insurance companies will not be able to compete with goverment subsidized healthcare, forcing companies to move employees into goverment ran health care.

[thinkb4uleapII]

03:57 PM on 08/20/2009

Are you really suggesting that insurance companies will abandon the health care market because of a public health care option? If so, that is a laughable supposition.

Health care is a cash cow for the insurance industry and will continue to be, with or without a public option. Insurance providers most certainly will have to modify their business model to remain a viable option and maintain profitability, but that will be to the benefit of all consumers.

President Obama recently used the example of how Fed Ex and UPS are thriving in the parcel delivery business in spite of a viable public in their market sector. One can only imagine what the cost of parcel delivery would be without a public option...

I suggest to you that a fair, strong and affordable public option will do more to reform the health care industry than any other single idea currently under consideration.

[SG Phillips]

04:03 PM on 08/20/2009

Incorrect. Most people will be required to have insurance, but they can shop for a different for-profit plan if, for example, they quit or lose their job.

[chopenhopper]

11:25 AM on 08/20/2009

These are the same polls run by the same folks during the elction in November. Remember how close they all said the final tally would be?

They only poll folks with land lines and at shopiing malls and places like that.

They don't go to soup kitchens or waste treatment plants. The up-shot is that the results are skewed before they even ask the question.

We wouldn'tr have vote for O if we didn't want the reform. The talbes haven't turned. No one I know has changed their minds--we are being railroaded by a very vocal minority--not to mention the diinformation campaign of the Republicans.

[DestinationsUnknown]

10:14 AM on 08/20/2009

C-SPAN TOWN HALL -

Showing Mississippi Town Hall D- Gene Taylor

[dennisrs]

10:40 AM on 08/20/2009

2nd Amendment Right supporter!

[Shashi0224]

10:09 AM on 08/20/2009

This is exactly why these polls are a bunch of garbage. The result can be predetermined by the structure of the question.
Americans took the ultimate poll on November 4, 2008. We wanted health insurance reform then and we want it now. Why do we need any other poll?

[nellie]

10:37 AM on 08/20/2009

Well said.

[wldone]

11:32 AM on 08/20/2009

just those who want free stuff want it..

[RichardDG]

12:06 PM on 08/20/2009

We can say it the other way also ''Just those who already have free stuff doesn`t want orders to have some'' cause at the end we all love free stuff.

[Teresa201]

12:41 PM on 08/20/2009

Try facts.

It's far from free for anyone...
That's why it's a choice just like the other healthcare options.