Poll: Public Option Favored By 65% Of Americans

A New York Times/CBS poll found that 65% of respondents want a public health care option, while only 26% opposed such a plan.

However, respondents said that President Obama had not been clear on health care reform. Fifty-five percent said he had not explained his plan clearly, and many felt under-informed about the policies under discussion.

The Senate Finance Committee will vote on a government-run health insurance option Tuesday.

"We're going to have a full blown debate in the Finance Committee," said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), a backer of the public option. While it may be an "underdog," Schumer said, "don't count it out."

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[EagleFury]

Whew! Lucky for bought-off Congressmen and administration officials, Big Pharma has their back and is seeing to it their retirement plans are flush.

[Gloriagoldberg]

by public option I hope they mean Single Payer government mandated and managed health care - that is what the public really wants.

[judgejay]

No they don't want a single payer system Most Americans are happy with their current Health care insurance coverage (70+ %). Single payer will just lead to rationing and poor services.

[EagleFury]

Yeah "judgejay", it's---eww­www!---all so socialist and pinko to follow the rest of the industrialized world and sponsor a government-funded national healthcare plan. Much better to make sure the financially obese health insurance industry is protected from--gasp­--capitali­st competetition (?!?).

[Philclock]

Yeah, right!

I'm gonna trust my health care to the same government that brought us Katrina!

Even Marxists aren't that stupid...about their own health care, that is!

[Write4U]

First: It is NOT the same government (that was Bush' government)
Second: Katrina was a natural event, which was terribly mishandled, due to the incompetent croonies put in place by the Bush administration.
Third: Millions of Military, Congress, Senate, Federal and State employees trust and receive good Health Care through Federal Health Insurance and Medicare.
Last: Low Cost Health Care and Profit are mutually exclusive. As long as there is a Profit incentive, Health Care will suffer. Take the Profit out of Health Care and prices will drop, guaranteed!!!

[Philclock]

Take the Profit out of anything, service and quality will drop, guaranteed!

And you need profits, otherwise who cares about costs? That's the "public option" problem.

But point well taken, health care ain't simple, public or private, and it needs oversight by all the different parts (doctors, insurers, hospitals, administrators, etc.).

[Tim303]

"I reserve my God given right to die bankrupt and crippled while I watch my son going blind through a treatable illness he can't afford to treat, because government is evil!"

[thegreatstu]

First you all claimed it was 80 percent wanted a public option, then 77 percent, and now 65 percent. Even by your skewed numbers, the support is failing.

Thruth be known, there are more people opposed to Obama Care (The presidents vision of Heath Care Reform) than there are who are for it.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/september_2009/health_care_reform

[Tim303]

Rasmussen always skews right.

So what if different polls show different majorities wanting a public option?

So what even if people oppose it? They might be wrong...ooh, scary, I trust governments more than corporatio­ns...oooh.­..

[skybar]

I reject the idea that government can't do anything right - ever hear of civil rights? Environmental protection? Some problems are so big they need to be handled by government.

[Tim303]

No doubt. Also--ever hear of every other civilized country in the world's health care?

[judgejay]

Yes, they do all have health care but where do there leaders and welathy go when they need surgery or cancer treatments. HERE IN THE US WHERE THE BEST HEALTHCARE IN THE WORLD IS AVAILABLE. Of course once this public option comes into play which is really just the march toward single payer system we will all have crappy healthcare like the rest of the world!

[scotia626]

the 26% who oppose such a plan are aka as "the republican base"- which, while dying left right and center due to inadequate access to care, they go to their graves clinging to their guns and religion- aka prayers to santa claus.

[JessWonderin]

of that 26% at least 50% are old white folks on "gobbermint" Medicare, Social Security and various state disability programs lacking the mental capacity to "make the connection" . . . . . factor in the 11% of the totally rabid racists that would NEVER accept Obama, you end up with a dead end Party of NO, firmly planted in the 18th Century . . . . doesn't leave much to bother dealing with in the overhaul of our health system

Single Payer - Public Option . . . . . now THERE is CHOICE.

[thegreatstu]

That is why your so called march on DC in support of Obama Care on September 13th was such a resounding success...Right?

[Tim303]

Other work is going on--you have no idea, do you?

[Harry Pujols]

Did Bush approval rating ever went below 26%?

[infantryguy]

Please gimme free healthcare and lots of other free stuff.. Im worthless and cant provide for myself ...disgusting !!!!

[DrBritesnide]

Was that supposed to be political comment...­..discours­e....what?­??

It said nothing communicated nothing, and meant nothing.

No wonder you people are on the outside looking in.

[hahaney]

The voice of the shrinking 22%.

[thegreatstu]

http://www.gallup.com/poll/122333/Political-Ideology-Conservative-Label-Prevails-South.aspx#2


http://www.gallup.com/poll/123161/Republican-Party-Image-Improves-Trails-Democrats.aspx

[dresdengirl]

I guess with a name like infantryguy you are Milirary and already get free healthcare.

[JessWonderin]

"infantryguy" . . . . . Freeper humor attempt . . . . score: 1

Let me guess. . . fully covered free military/VA care, correspondence GED, E-2 . . . . OR currently at home with mom, waiting for your Disability Rating . . . . .

[lynettema]

this from a guy who works for the government getting government healthcare

[lynettema]

Yesterday my husband and I volunteered for Iowa Mission of Mercy. People who can't afford dental care line up for hours to get dental treatment. It is a Friday -Saturday event. Over 800 people were seen on Friday. Few people got through the day with a complete treatment plan. But they were very grateful for what they could get done. Some who were there on Friday would come back on Sat. But many could not because they had to WORK or lived too far away to be able to afford the trip back. Hundreds slept in their cars on Thurs night to be able to get into line on Fri morning. My husband is a retired dentist, so he did a lot of drill and fill.
I was an exit interview clerk. I heard the stories of about 50 people yesterday afternoon. Mind blowing. I couldn't sleep last night. My heart broke for these people. I applaud the people who provided this service. But this wasn't health care, this was charity. And who should show up last night about 6:30 p.m. for his photo op but Chuck Grassley. Our Senator that is doing all he can to block health care and doesn't give a rip about people who can't afford health care. He thinks charity is all these people deserve. The good thing is that most of the people were gone by that time.

Get out there and work for health care reform people. Call your Congresspeople this week.

[Tim303]

I believe the guy who started it was a Brit who worked on healthcare in the third world and couldn't believe his eyes when he first arrived in the US. Neither could I. Penn Station could have been in New Delhi. People hobbling around on makeshift wooden rollers. With no legs.

[dteg]

Why not just have medicare for all. Why doesn't medicare law violate the equal protection clause of the constitution. How can you have government care for over 65 but not under.

[BlueSkyPilot]

Think Mr O will give a 5 day public comment period once this spoiled meat bill comes out of congress before he signs it?

Naw! That was just campaign rhetoric.

[Jewkie]

Have you thought of taking anti-depressants?

[dteg]

We need a stronger public option. As it stands now looks like those who don't like their company coverage can not get the public option. I never hear our president talk about people who don't like their coverage. He just mentions people who like or have lost their coverage. Looks like they will be stuck with the same sorry HMO that their company chooses.

[utastaff]

Sorry, dteg, according to the NY Times survey you are way off the mark.

Question 21 of the survey asks "Are you generally satisfied or dissatisfied with the quality of the healthcare you receive? Would you say that you are very (satisfied­/dissatisf­ied) or somewhat (satisfied­/dissatisf­ied)?"

41% said very satisfied. 37% said somewhat satisfied. 10% said dissatisfied. 8% said dissatisfied.

You have 78% that are satisfied with their current healthcare. Only 18% not. That is why Obama is not going talk about satisfaction because he will get blasted out of the water. The scary thing is that no one is talking about how satisfied people on govenment programs like Medicare are. That is what I want to see. I bet it would far less than 78% satisfied.

[utastaff]

Typo - meant to say above that only 8% said they were "very disatisfied' with their healthcare.

[hahaney]

Poll: Americans are more satisfied with Medicare than private healthcare insurance.
"In a national Commonwealth Fund survey, elderly Medicare beneficiaries reported greater overall satisfaction with their health coverage, better access to care, and fewer problems paying medical bills than people covered by employer-sponsored plans. The findings bolster the argument that offering a public insurance plan similar to Medicare to the under-65 population has the potential to improve access and reduce costs."

According to Gallop
57% of Canadians are satisfied with the availability of affordable healthcare.
43% of Brits are satisfied with the availability of affordable healthcare.
25% of Americans are satisfied with the availability of affordable healthcare.

CBS News Poll. Sept. 10, 2009
"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?"
Favor 68% Oppose 27% Unsure 5%

A poll conducted for Americans United for Change by the respected firm of Anzelone and Liszt -- completed last Friday -- shows that, by a 62% to 28% margin, likely 2010 voters would be more inclined to support President Obama's healthcare reform plan if it included a public option that gave people a choice between private insurance plans and a public health insurance plan.

[dteg]

I see that as 41 satisfied. If public option is better I should be able to choose. Only if my company has more less than 25 would make me eligible for public option,. If public option is as good as congress I would rather have that. I know my relatives in government have a lot better choice than I do.now.

[Tim303]

The public option is not for you. It's for people who can't get insurance by other means. Think laddie!

[utastaff]

The New York Times story did not mention page 24 of the poll which which stated the political affilliation of those surveyed.

37% surveyed were Democrats while only 22% were Republican. The NY Times gave a nearly 2 to 1 survey advantage for Democrats. That is how you get that 65% favorability for the public option -poll manipulation. Of course all the liberal bloggers on this site won't bother to mention that and neither did the NY Times in its story.

[hahaney]

CBS News Poll. Sept. 10
"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?"
Favor 68% Oppose 27% Unsure 5%

A poll conducted for Americans United for Change by the respected firm of Anzelone and Liszt shows that, by a 62% to 28% margin, likely 2010 voters would be more inclined to support President Obama's healthcare reform plan if it included a public option that gave people a choice between private insurance plans and a public health insurance plan.

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. Sept. 9, 2009
"Do you think the policies being proposed by Barack Obama will move the country in the right direction or the wrong direction?"
Right Direction 70% Wrong Direction 27% Unsure 3%

Quinnipiac University asked 2,409 voters whether they "support or oppose giving people the option of being covered by a government health insurance plan that would compete with private plans." 62 percent were in support, and 32 percent were opposed.

NBC News and The Wall Street Journal asked, "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–­–extremely important, quite important, not that important, or not at all important?"
76 percent of respondents said it was extremely or quite important.

[hahaney]

By the way, only 22% of the country is republican. That makes this a fairly accurate poll.

[bassnman]

Last poll is saw said that over 40 are conservative though!!

[Truth Wins]

If 65% of the people WANT the public option - in spite of the fact that those vast poll numbers were mostly supressed by the media during the ongoing health care debate - there is no excuse if it is not in the bill.

PUBLIC OPTION NOW DEMS, OR SAY GOODBYE TO DONATIONS NOW AND GOODBYE TO YOUR SEAT IN 2010.

[JohnHKennedy]

Our Congressional Democrats Must Only Support
a Health Care Bill with Either a Strong Public Option or Single Payer

AND Support Prosecution for those That Tortured In Our Name.

Otherwise, the 2010 Election results will be a great disappointment for them.

Keep asking ALL politicians at ALL public events "Why do they support Torture?"
If they aren't actively calling for enforcement of our Federal Torture Laws They Support Torture.

SIGN THE PETITIONS
Demanding both a Commission of Inquiry
and Prosecution for All the Bush-Cheney Crimes at ANGRYVOTERS.ORG

http://ANGRYVOTERS.ORG

Only Prosecution Stops Torture!
Only Prosecution Stops Violations of Our Constitution and Rule Of Law.