WASHINGTON (CNN)– A new national poll suggests that a bare majority of Americans support President Barack Obama's health care plan.
But the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Wednesday morning indicates that most people are worried that their health care costs would go up if the administration's proposals are passed and only one in five think that their families would be better off under the Obama plan.
Fifty-one percent of people questioned in the poll say they favor the president's health care plan, with 45 percent opposed. Obama aims to bring down health care costs and provide medical insurance to many of the more than 45 million Americans currently without coverage. His proposals, which are making their way through five different congressional committees in the Senate and the House, also call for a government-run health insurance program to compete with private insurers.
"Women and younger Americans are slightly more likely to support Obama's approach to health care," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Those are usually the groups that are more concerned about health care and health insurance."
The poll suggests that 55 percent think the U.S. health care system is in need of a great deal of reform, with four in ten saying only some reform is needed. Nearly half of those questioned have more trust in the President rather than Republicans in Congress to handle health care form, with 38 percent backing the congressional Republicans over Obama.
A government run health insurance program is one of the most controversial parts of the Obama health reform proposals, with Republicans suggesting that such a plan could force current health care providers out of business, forcing Americans to switch doctors. The poll indicates such arguments may not be working.
"Two-thirds believe that the president's plan would allow them to see the same doctors they currently receive care from, and most say that their health insurance provider would not go out of business if Obama's plan is passed," says Holland.
But the poll does provide some ammunition for Republicans opposed to the president's proposals. Fifty-four percent say their medical insurance costs will increase if the Obama plan becomes law, with 17 percent feeling their costs will decrease. Around one in four say their costs will remain the same. And only one in five say their family will be better off if the president's plan becomes law, with 35 percent feeling they would be worse off, and 44 percent saying they would be about the same.
The Obama push for health care reform is the first major wide scale drive for overhaul by an administration since President Bill Clinton's failed attempts in 1993 and 1994. The poll finds some interesting comparisons.
"In September of 1993, when Bill Clinton was just starting to roll out his ill-fated health care plan, 54 percent said they supported Clinton's ideas on that issue. Today 51 percent feel the same way about Obama's proposals," Holland says. "That indicates that Obama may have his work cut out for him in the coming months."
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, with 1,026 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
From CNN Politics
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The recent polls suggest two facts:
(1) We have been successfully kept in the dark as to the quality and current cost of health care in the US.
(2) Too many of us haven't the slightest conception or concern as to relative costs and values-specifically national defense vs health care.
This fear tactics of the special interest group would fail this time. The fact that we all believe our healthcare system is broken, doing nothing is absolutely not an option.
Go ahead with your plan piblic option president Obama. The American citizens are behind you and would dump all those senators who are blocking your reform agenda come 2010 or 2012.
Opponents of changing the health care system use words like "personal freedom", freedom of choice, competition, etc., to scare people. The only thing they are worried about is profits for the insurance companies.
As for the scare word "socialized medicine", we are halfway there and no one I know of who is on a government-funded plan would trade it for one they have to lay out hard cash for. At least when it is in taxes, and I lose my job, I don't lose my insurance.
Someone's been spinning this debate counter-clockwise! We would not be having this debate at all if the current system worked. It does not work for two reasons:
a) Health care is not portable, and is instead left to the luck of the draw, as to whether or not you are lucky enough to get health care through your employer (assuming that you are lucky enough to have a job).
b) A bloated for-profit HMO industry sits between doctor and patient, soaking up large stacks of money.
It is surprising that many Americans would fear that providing an alternative that removed the HMO money sponge would result in higher costs. I would expect the opposite.
A universal single payer government (not for greed) health plan would lower cost even if paid out of tax money.
What Harry and Louise's corporate masters want you to forget is that the 12-15K they get for every family won't be there. They'd also rather you not think about the high overhead they run with redundant bureaucracies (that hide behind telephone trees) and obscenely overpaid executives.
They whine that they can't compete with a government plan. Maybe it's time for their hallowed free market to work and they can slink back into the vault to roll around in the gold they've already stolen.
Are you saying that what we have today does not cost anything significant ? Perhaps that is because you do not factor in the cost of human life.
Of course women and younger adults support President Obama's plan, they make up the marjority of those without coverage or coverage for those they are responsible for.
what we have now is broken – fix it
Something as complex as Healthcare Reform is going to take a while for the laymen to understand. This means that the Obama administration needs to find creative ways to explain it in non-technical terms that everyone can relate to; and the opposition needs to add some detail to their criticisms. Right now, this whole debate looks the "wacky professor" vs the "incorrigible kids" - who do you believe?
Higher costs, give me a break! If people read-up and get the real story and truth, they will be happy that someone is in the White House steering the upgrade to lower cost. Do nothing and no one will or could pay for it. I guess they want to get less and pay more with no action.... I'm not stupid We have to lower cost people..... And bring it up to date for the future.
but the burning question is; does AIPAC and their handlers feel like its' a workable plan..you know, follow the money..
Of course we are just like anything else that would help its called brain washing. Gee not rocket science. We have been spoon fed to think the 'market' will care for our health care. What a crap shoot! Just remember that the Republican=Evagelicals also wanted to put Social Security into the Stock market! Little wonder why all of us in what used to be the middle class are in chpts 7! Don't belive this right wing crap for a minute health care is a right not a market privilege!
Of course, the plan will increase costs. How do you provide health insurance to 50 million more people without either increasing costs or taxes? The real question is whether the other 250 million of us care enough to pay for it?
Do we need the government in health care too, they did such a
swell job to the car business
This poll is all over the place, because nobody really knows what to do with healthcare.
The third rail on healthcare is insurance companies. The only thing insurance companies add to the total healthcare picture is a middleman and extra cost. If we remove this unnecessary adminstrative cost, we could put the savings toward better health services.
Sure I'm worried about the cost. But the alternatives of not doing anything, or making only tweeks to a broken system, would cost this country billions, perhaps trillions more. Obama's health reform plan makes sense at a time when bold action is required to keep us from spiraling into total health care and economic chaos.
Just like Cap and Trade it will increase the cost. Someone has to pay for those that don't. We have healthcare for all that can't afford, it's called Medicaid and if someone looks at their paycheck stubs they will note that it is already taxed.
I am concerned about the costs and putting this country in further debt. My main concern is the quality of health care. I do not want politicians telling my doctor what care they can give me. I do not want politicians giving my doctor their guidelines on how to go about treating everything. My doctor is my doctor and my politician is my politician. I do not want my politician to be my doctor and that is going to happen under this plan. This is why I feel Obama's plan is wrong.
Isn't it amazing how the entire 8 years the repubs were in rule they never did one thing regarding health care reform?
How can it NOT increase costs? True, he inherited a huge deficit and a bad economy (which, by the way, he presided over as a Senator). Spending like a teenage oil baron's son and creating entirely new business methods certainly isn't going to CUT BACK on anything. People need to decide whether they want affordable health care for a certain segment of our society or a stable economy with manageable deficit. To me, it seems like we won't be able to sustain health care without a stable economy, so logic seems to dictate that we should fix the economy FIRST, THEN turn to the health care problem, which has been around for a very long time anyway. Obama's just too quick to cram too much down everyone's throats. He needs to settle down and focus on one thing at a time.
I'd rather pay for health care than wars.
Getting government involved in health care is plain stupidity. Look at how Social Security is managed. Look at how Medicare and Medicaid are managed. If that is not enough, look at how the government manages it's budget. It's not just the Democrats who are to blame, although they carry most of the burden, but the Republicans are just as culpable.
There are other proposal on the board that should be openly discussed but the current administration does not what that dialog. They are afraid of dissent and revealing the truth.
I wonder how these people polled formed an opinion. Have the details of these plans been made public???
Contrary to GOP rhetoric and distortions, I strongly believe in President Obama's abilities to bring about the Change we voted for. And a part of that Change is affordable, quality health care for all. A Public Option or single payer plan, seems to be the only assurance of Good quality and affordable health care coverage for all. And I don't beleive its acheivable without a strong government presence.
Also in contrast to Republicants scare tactics, I beleive a public option will NOT drive insurance companies out of the health care business, but instead force them to become competitive. Currently insurance companies have absolutely NO incentive to reduce the cost to consumers or employer based health plans. A Public Option will force insurance companies to become more compeititive by offering lower rates and better coverage. If President Obama comes up with another way... I would be completely open to it. But at this point a public option seems to be the only means possible. Nothing is free, and I also think we Americans who choose a public option should pay our share of the Premium just as if we were to pay our portion of a premium through an employer's health plan.
Instead of "health care reform" read here insurance industry bonanza. Obama is trying to serve up the entire population to the multi national insurance vultures so they can squeeze the last of your discetionary income from your pockets. It is obvious that he is paying the industry off for their support and money during the campaign, just like wall st and detroit, and you can see how well that has worked out for us. We have an oportunity to make this country what it should have always been, but we're not going to do that, no we are going to sit back and let this administration and their coleagues on the other side of the isle run rough shod over the remains of the constitution and ruin the best chance any of us has ever had to actually be free and have a voice. First they have declared war on gun owners, the silent strenght behind all freedom loving people, and then they pushed these economic catastrophies down our throats so that our grandchildren will be paying for this stimulus package, if they still have a country let alone a job market. Our headlines read unrest in iran, a coup in honduras. What about the bait and switch that obama has pulled? Forcing citizens to buy insurance from an unregulated private industry with all those lobbiests and lawyers is illegal and unconstitutional and in tantamount to treason. Where is that headline CNN?
Private insurance is too expensive, I prefer to have options.
Let's face it, Clinton achieved nothing on health care, Bush accomplished just a little. The worst thing we can do is nothing. Give Obamas plan a chance.
It's not that we don't need some enhancement to our healthcare system costs...we do. Our quality of care is the best in the world...only a spoiled liberal would say otherwise....however, it's the incompetent Obama and his band of thugs in his administration that has no business telling us what we can and cannot have for healthcare...
This health care overhaul is pretty frightening. I don't follow the logic on some of the expectations for lowered insurance premiums. For example, Obama has said that by spending millions on developing electronic health records it will reduce costs by Drs and Insurance companies and they "should" pass that savings on to us. I don't think so. Every Dr, Hospital and pharmacy in the US already maintains electronic billing for insurance. THere can't be any savings there. Even if there were doubt it would be passed on to us. The reason for electronic medical history and treatment records would be to have the Federal Government centralize all records and control/monitor treatment. Thats scary. And I hate being lied to that this is about saving money when its really about Fed takeover of our healthcare.
Of course it will increase costs. Since when did we have to count on the government to take care of us? I was raised you take care of yourself and your family. Do not expect anyone to do it for you. Which means you get a job (or two, as my father did in the 70's when Carter was wrecking the economy) and give up luxuries such as cell phones.
Now, the mentally ill, disabled vets, elderly, and children with irresponsible parents are another story. They either have served, cannot serve, or are not old enough to serve.
It WILL cost us more, but it has to be done. I think Obama's plans would be more cost efficient, but politicians are pretty beholden to insurance companies, and making anything happen that breaks that money trail is going to be very difficult. THAT would be change...if these people would forget they are running for office and actually do something for the good of the people.
It is just like taxes. When you have 20% of the people paying 80% of the taxes you have a problem. Why not go back to charity hospitals? You would get the care needed but not tying up emergency room services with no emergency situations.
Anything the government gets involved in will increase in cost. The two biggest areas of government involvement in the past decade are healthcare and higher eductaion, and look at what the cost of both are doing. The government pushes up demand, and cost increases follow.
I believe it could not get worse with the president's plan. How could forcing insurers to cover pre-existing conditions be bad for us? How could competition be bad for us? How could promoting efficiency and effectiveness be bad for us? The plan may be bad for those who gouge the system to fill their pockets. But, the system isn't there for them, it's there for us!
I do believe the outrageous malpractice awards and rampant fraud needs to be limited. Abuse of any system by anyone is bad for everyone.
If Republicans want to debate this, fine. Where are the details? We need details, not summaries, rhetoric and fear! DON'T automatically say single payer is a deal killer. Many people want that option and many other options Republicans oppose. Start listening to your constituents, not your lobbyists! You know, us.
This Healthcare plan is no good. A public option means its open to everyone, and businesses are going to chose the public option, which will be bad and it will tell you who you can see and when. You will go on wait lists much like the socialized systems in Europe. People come to america for the healthcare because we HAVE A GOOD SYSTEM!! Everyone gets treatment no matter what!
Maybe instead of having Obama push this healthcare we should be a little more concerned with the milking of the Social Security and Welfare programs???
Previously someone on here told me that the logic of "Pay for your own insurance" was like a modern day "let them eat cake"....for their information, it is nothing like that. Please learn your history!
When you have to choose food over meds.........
not a hard choice......Obama's plan will work.
It's going to be a difficult process, and with any changes this large there will be trial and error, but we can no longer take the GOP approach of 'do nothing'. Due to medicare D which the republicans pushed thru, 100% of the governments income will be spent on prescription drugs within the next decade. That means no military funding, no police, no education......that's the largest 'no bid' socialist program in history. So do not let the GOP and their pouts of 'socialism' mislead you. It's only socialism when the same 'fat hogs' who have drained this country for years can't anymore.
Ignore the GOP. Fix our health care, provide clean energy and break out dependence on the middle east. It's time to rebuild America instead of the GOP approach of giving our tax dollars to rebuild some country that will still despise us.
You cannot give people free health care without raising taxes drasticaly, or, going into debt. Keep in mind many of the people who would qualify for this healthcare, DO NOT PAY TAXES. So, someone has to pay for it (attn: taxpayers. Entitlements don't just appear. SOMEONE HAS TO PAY. And the way Obama has been spending, he is going to bankrupt this country.
On this point. In an election system, if you give 51% of the public free stuff, you will never lose. Do you think Obama may have thought about this? He is going to give free stuff to the poor, and legalize 20 million illegals, with voting rights, and poof, Obama cannot be beat. He is not dumb.
Why would people support it if it is going to cost more? I can't afford to pay more for my insurance, so I don't support this plan.
Doing absolutely nothing for the past 8 years DID NOT WORK.
We need to get this started - if it itsn't perfect at first, at least there will be something to make adjustments to.
It's time, and I'm personally sick of the party of NO obstructing everything for this country, while pouring our taxes into "rebuilding" the country W decided to destroy (Iraq - and inadvertently US).
Why does not CNN do an in depth look into the outline of Obama's health care plan. Will it raise prices? Because from what I can tell Obama's plan will lower what I pay by $2000 for my family. When and if the raise taxes is when the real money saving starts to happen. The more money they can put in the bigger the savings for all.
Is it less now? I don't think so. Aren't AMA, Insurance groups, doctors, and hospitals robbing? Find the way out to cut costs. Only way is to put more PAs, NPs, in practice in general medicine in rural area and produce more generic tests. Stop these doctors writing all bogus tests whether needed or not. I know some of the oriental doctors doing "swan-gantz" for no reason for grabbing 320/ dollars from insurance groups....these are from especially from India...ok...we need to cut costs...drive these bad doctors out of profession...use American Physician Assistants instead. They are the best doctors. Believe me...God only should bless the nation, the USA from this medical greed. AMA, you don't be nasty....and greedy....
Well sure they think costs will go up. The Republican scare tactics have always worked well on people too lazy to study the facts for themselves.
Do not worry about obamas health care driving up prices and dictating what coverage you can get based on your age. Do not worry that you will lose your private coverage because yes it will drive up prices and yes the government will determine what medical help you will get and yes you will lose your private coverage. How is change working out for you so far?
I was under the apparently false impression that the US is a constitutional republic with a capatlistic-based economy. How can this be if the gov't is taking everything over??
One-term Obama imo
Hopefully someone with some leet leadership skills can do what is right for the country and not for PACs or a specific political base.
I'll let everyone know what the weather is like in Lala land some time soon...
Costs are going to increase anyway. A study says costs will go up 9% next year. If you get it from your employer do you honestly think they will eat that cost for you? In my family we went from 3 choices of insurance companies with his employer paying it, down to 1 choice with his employer paying it and presently we are at 1 choice and paying half of it. The next step will be us paying for it all...including that 9% increase. The insurance companies and their outrageous costs and denying of care even though premiums are paid need to be STOPPED! The public option will force the private insurance companies to keep their costs comparable!! Compare it to a gas station in the middle of nowhere that can charge 10 cents more a gallon then the gas stations in town with competitor right near them (who must keep prices low to compete) because there is no other gas station around to keep their prices in check.
The president is going to "allow" me to see my same doctor ? What business is it of Obama or CNN which doctor I see and how much I pay ? I struggled to pay my mortgage and other bills. But that does not translate in any way into a reason for turning my health care decisions over to Obama, CNN and the Democrat Party.
CNN has helped Obama carefully craft his message, tawdry as it is, but god help us all if this is forced down the throats of Americans. Obama will have to use federal troops to crush the resistence in the streets. The Tea Parties that CNN laughed at will be nothing compared to the coming roar coming from Americans as their freedoms are being smothered by an alliance between the Democrat Party and elitist media.
I am confident that having a public option will bring my healthcare costs DOWN.
Anyone who would rather continue letting the 3 big insurers set prices must be crazy or stupid.
Public healthcare, like so many other Obama proposals, would be a disaster for our country. Besides the fact we can't afford what is being proposed (the Obama administration does not seem to care about how much anything costs as evidenced by everything he has done or proposed since he was inaugurated), the proposal does not solve the main problem which is the out of control rising costs of healthcare. In fact, like this poll says, most believe his plan will increase healthcare costs or even worse, begin government rationing of heath care which I am sure the majority of Americans would oppose strongly. If people will only take the time to look at both sides of this issue as opposed to blindly following the administration and the very biased media, I am quite certain this so-called solution will fail to pass congress. As with most of what Obama is doing, once people get past the rhetoric and messenger, the substance does not work for anyone with the exception of the extreme left in our country which is a very small part of America!
Reformed? YES. Starting with TORT reform. When doctors stop having to work a full 5 months out of the year to pay for malpractice insurance, costs will decrease.
Public option? We have that in MA. Go look up 'commonwealth care', read what it covers, what it doesnt (especially the maximum it will pay in a calendar year), and how much it costs the insured. Then see if you still think you want a "public option".
One more thing. If healthcare reform doesn't address the massive shortage of physicians in the primary care, internal medicine, and geriatrics fields of practice, we're in deep doo-doo.
"Nearly half of those questioned have more trust in the President rather than Republicans in Congress to handle health care form"
What happened to his lofty poll numbers!
YA THINK,
Everything Obama and his Democrates have passed has raised your taxes and everything Obama even thinks makes you more DEPENDENT ON GOVERNMENT and raises taxes.
Democrates only have one thing in mind, BEING DICTATORS and making you more dependent on BIG GOVERNMENT.
Obama wants your money thats why he wants to SPREAD YOUR WEALTH with te non working .
YOUR HEALTH COST WILL DOUBLE IF OBAMA GETS HIS WAY.
What Obama's Obamacare will do is put medical insurance companies out of business and make Americans dependent upon some idiot in the government deciding if he wants a patient to be treated or not, so republicans watch out: you won't get any medical attention under Obamacare, you'll just die or change your political registration to get care. Isn't this just so sick, though? Please don't think this isn't part of Obamacare; it's all political, not compassionate.
This has gone way beyond worry.... we KNOW it will increase costs. Ponzi scheme. America is the ultimate loser.
I can see why people are worried because there are no details yet, and the Republicans are trying to frighten people over something that hasn't been finished. With this small a sample size (1,026), how representative is this polling anyhow? I would have preferred something close to 10,000 at least; has a greater chance to have various small groups represented.
Let's do the math. Increase the demand for physicians by providing free healthcare for another 30,000,000 but decrease the number of physicians by limiting fees they can charge. Hmmm....Houston I think we have a problem.
We dont care about the cost.....we already in to deep. But millions
of Americans wants this. Who you Poll CNN, you did not poll me ?
If some Americans are worry about the cost, they did not worry when
BUSH was spending like crazy and did not care about the American
people. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE YOU HAVE TO PAY A PRICE AND BARE THE COST. WE WANT HEALTH CARE.....WE NEED A CHANGE
This health care plan he is pushing will do nothing except put more burden on the working taxpayers to provide services for those who do not. Health care is not a right. I have always paid for my own health care. Socialized care does not work, as proven by the countries that have tried it. Pelosi, Kennedy,Reid and obama have no clue as to what they are doing. I have not seen a politician yet who knows how to manage anything correctly and efficiently. The cap and trade BS will be another farce that will only hit the working popoulation in their wallet even harder because the government will pay the free loaders electrical bill through assistance programs as usual. There is an argument between scientist as to whether global warming even exists.And as far as I know Al Gore is no scientist,
Is this the same CNN poll that said 51% of Americans support this socialist takeover of healthcare? Of course it's going to raise costs...and lower the quality of care. Typical Obama mess.
Despite Obama promising to reduce costs, they will go up. His idea to reduce costs is to limit tests. Not a smart thought considering tests are done to eliminate or diagnose disease. Medicare is lousy health care and is broke, yet that's what he wants to give the rest of us. He also wants to tax health benefits provided by employers, another mistake. Tax the people who have coverage to pay for those who don't!! Employers would be more likely to eliminate health care if employees could get a cheaper public option. Shouldn't they be looking for ways to encourage employers to provide coverage and reduce the need for public coverage? Democrats brain only works one way – Tax increases on the middle class and above.
The purpose of America's health care system is not to make pharmaceutical companies, hospital companies, and physicians wealthy. The purpose of America's health care system is to keep America's population healthy. Here's one suggestion:
Pay pharmaceutical researchers to develop new drugs. Research and testing is costly. Then, after the drug is ready for market, give the formula to the public domain, so any manufacturer can make and sell it. The cost of making a pill is cheap. Manufacturers would compete to sell at the lowest price.
Obama says he wants to bring down health care costs but his plan would only bring health care down. His plan is to take from hard working Americans and give to those who are milking the system. That's why he chose Sotomayor for his SC pick. She is of the same mindset. It doesn't matter what is fair; what matters is that he gives to his voter base whatever he can to keep their support. That way he can continue to live off the taxpayer $$'s (the sweat of the workers) just like his base support does.
There's no way his plan will increase prices. After all, he knows what he's doing. Not only will the prices go up, but your taxes will also. Do you remember the days before JFK when taxes were 75% of your income? I do. Start paying attention!
It is really high time that my fellow citizens come out of the hynotic trance in which private insurers have had them for decades – wake up and look at the outcomes. All other advanced countries spend around one-half (7% of GDP, versus nearly 14% of GDP for the US) of our national spend on healthcare, and yet have citizens living longer and healthier lives.
Unless we have an outcomes-focused healthcare system that is NOT driven by profit-maximization motives, we will cotinue to have spends which are spiralling out of control, and keep denying even basic healthcare to larger and larger segments of our population. Right now it is over 15% of our population – how large should this become, before we say enough's enough? How can we be a strong nation – after all, our strength will be determined by our weakest links.
Fortunately, we now have a president who is willing to address this problem squarely. Let us not fail him and fail ourselves by continuing to be in our hynotic trance.
Wake up and think, America. God belss us all.
Maybe politicians should start paying for their health care.
If you believe in the Health Care fantasy Obama is pushing, just ask yourself if you would rather pay for your own health insurance, or yours and half of someone elses.
There are only two options to Obamas 'plan' .
1. Health Care costs skyrocket.
2. Health Care quality is diminished vastly.
Pick one.
'
Of course it will raise costs, not only of the health care services we receive, but the cost of having the benefit paid by employers, and individual taxes. The government (namely Obama), wants to tax our health care benefits, which have been pre-tax deductions for years! We can't let him do this to us-I had to increase my income tax deductions this year just to keep up with what I am already required to pay. And because of his wonderful stimulus payments, I am now in a higher tax bracket and actually end up in the hole when it is all said and done–I get $30 less per pay period with all these factors. How will this help Main Street? It won't, but we know the Dems–tax and spend, tax and spend. UGH!
No kidding!! But Obama promised us that he would reduce costs, provide free healthcare for everyone, not tax employer provided health benefits, not raise taxes on anyone making under 250,000 per year, create millions of jobs, line by line stop the pork spending. Yet all he has managed to do is throw billions of our dollars away and he continues to want to throw billions more away. Wake up America, this guy is bankrupting us and he's only been in office for 5 months!!
didn't Obammy say taxes will NOT increase for those that make $250K or less??
That will go down as one of biggest lies this empty suit has ever said.
We should be afraid of the rising costs of the Obama plans, this man taxes everything and gives it to George Soros, ACORN and the union and all of his supporters, the majority of whom do not work for a living.
The Obama Administration and Democrats supporting his health care reform plan need to do a much better job selling this plan to the American People. In general, Americans support health care reform and most Americans want a public health care option. However, the lack of "fire in the belly" of Obama and the Dems is very discouraging. They are not doing a good job at showing the necessary passion needed to progress this issue not only in Washington, but in everyday America.
How can people know what that approve yet, we haven't had a clear plan presented at this time. Many "options" are still on the table, no one plan presented.
Worse than that – it will ration health care, and deny or delay needed help to those who have always paid into the system. All so the Democrats can get more votes.
I personally will be opposed to any government "public" healthcare option that ends up costing people with private insurance now more money. If the Obama administration can't figure out a way to fund their public health care option without compromising the insurance many of us have today, then the public hare care option will be a complete failure.
I don't know what these people are thinking. A public option is intended on driving the cost down. I don't see how premiums can go up. A government run option will force competition amongst commercial insurances. Eventually, if those insurance companies want to stay in business, they will have to cut cost. Simple as that.
Only 51% back his health care plan? That's pretty low, considering the president is so popular and many people hate Bush and Republicans so much!
I think the news here is that a MAJORITY of Americans support Obama's plan. Healthcare in America is broken. It needs to be fixed now.
Given the paucity of details regarding the health care reform proposals being made available, I wonder how anyone could base judgment on whether costs would increase or decrease. How about some details beyond the headlines? The quality of CNN's journalism is increasingly substandard, and makes a strong case for the preservation of newspapers.
Like they always say...if you think healthcare is expensive now, wait until it's free!
It is interesting that nobody ever talked about George W Bush doubling the national debt, raising it more than all other Presidents combined, and for no good reason to the American people, as witnessed by the fiscal mess we are now in. How many of you know people who have been or currently are in the process of being ruined by health care costs? My health insurance has skyrocketed in recent years and as Obama has said, it is going to be our next fiscal nightmare if we do nothing about it.
Something needs to be done or the sick, infirm, or other "undesirables" among us will need to be done away with on a mass scale. Remember Nazi Germany? Heaven help you if you become a "drag on the state." It is sad how some can say "God Bless America" while willing to watch others go down the toilet as they count their "blessings."
what.........................no way
this is what you voted for america (not me)
but now you have to live with it
next time maybe you will ignore the hype..........and vote what is best for most everyone not just 15% of the population
although we did not have much of a choice in the last election
Even if there literally were an Obama-Palin footrace, I'm still not sure Palin would win. But who am I to argue with her coaches from 30 years ago?
Gosh CNN...I bet if you distort the facts enough, and create enough polls, you can get that worry/fear factor right up to where the Republicans want it. Way to create...and pass that ammunition to the Taliban CNN....
Thta is unless you are a union member , they are excluded from paying taxes on their health care benefits under current proposal. Is this discrimination or what , impeach BHO before its to late.
We live in a nation of followers and people who like to jump the gun and shoot from the hip without having the facts.
"Americans worry Obama health care plan will increase costs".
Has anyone even seen a draft of a new health care plan? Or is it all just rumor?
The plan by this time must be several thousand pages. Has anyone even read it?
Americans should be, their health care costs are about to go up substantially. They are about to lose their current coverage. And Obama indicated in his town hall that procedures will be influenced by government agencies (read the transcript Obamabots).
Obama is turning the US healtcare into the Cuban system – and that system is a total failure.
I fill sorry for those who is against Obama's health care plan.
They deserve Bush's 8 year presidency.
Costs will go up, as with any government run program, service will get worse and to keep costs down, rationing of health care will become a necessity. If you are over 50, keep that in mind. But on the bright side, if you don't keep the older people alive, you don't have to pay them Social Security. Maybe that's his plan to keep health care costs down and to save Social Security. Barack is a genius!
Has CNN's Polling Director Keating Holland gotten his Czar appointment yet? He's obviously been working over time for Obama's progressive agenda ...
The number one question that I always ask is, "this is the richest country in the world. Why can't we provide health care for all our citizens?" The idea that someone can't go to the doctor because they cannot afford it is ridiculous and must be addressed. Many folks fall into the cracks because of no health insurance. Most aren't wealthy enough to buy private insurance. Many aren't so poor that they can get public assistance. Others receive no benefits from their employer. These are the ones that can benefit from health care reform. The middle class. It isn't the top 10%. It isn't the bottom 10%. It's the other 80%, the ones that pay all the bills to keep this country running. The AMA and insurance companies don't care about the struggles of the working man, and they are trying to keep the politicians in their pockets, working against us. Don't let them fool you. All they care about is the bottom line. It has nothing to do with providing quality health care for all. Health care must be available for every American!
CNN, did you ask the supporters of the health care plan if they know the details of it. I suspect that 100% of the 51% do not know anything about it accept that, in their minds, it's "free." Which again, I suspect that 100% of the 51% are already receiving free health care in clinics, medicare, medicaid, emergency rooms and indigent care.
This is the first step to socialism and one man controlling everything. With this program you will go to the doctors they tell you to go and who becomes richer. This man is already making plans rewrite the laws so he can stay president for a life time. Wake up American is what you call CHANGE. We need to get this man out of office soon or he will have us in a place that America can’t get out of. I still don’t understand how a no body community organizer becomes president of the United States. Oh that’s right his smooth double tongue talking and media put him in power. I know that our fore father and the people that died for this country did not give their lives for this. Remember we all one country to come here the home of the free and brave. Wake up America please before it’s too late. Is this the Change you want?
Did CNN take the poll of those 46 million who does not have health care?
With all the misinformation out there and a media that spouts opinion rather than investigates and presents facts, everyone is confused.
I am afraid my employer will abandon the more expensive health care plan I currently have, in favor of a cheaper, crappy, government run plan. I currently do not have to pay in to my plan, my employer pays all costs. I also worry that I will be taxed on my health care plan as if it were income. I heard that taxing health care was part of this legislation. Does anyone know if that is true? I support a family of five on $45,000 a year. I though President Obama promised he would not raise my taxes. Did he lie during the campaign, when he made that statement? I think a lot of middle and lower income people are going to be hurt by his plan. Just my opinion, and by the way, I am a registered Democrat.
Oh yeah you design misleading polls to make people think against their own interest. That is what corporate America is Good at for centuries.
The same people you poll never care the war in Irak will cost A Trillion dollar but we still spending to money to fix other people country we voluntarly destroyed.
You all want to go to haven but you are affraid to die.
With all the talking heads on fux news blasting the health care program it's no wonder people are worried about rising cost.
Just wait until these people lose their health insurance coverage and see how they feel then...but wait, all the talking heads are wealthy and don't have to worry about health cost.
Anyway, people are generally stupid and believe whatever they hear on the news.
People think efforts to reduce cost are going to increase cost?
Polls keep telling us that Americans distrust the GOP, yet they still believe all the hogwash that they spew.
Why don't we take poll, for whether our representative deserve govt. health care plan, which they oppose for all Americans.
What about the cost of lives and pain due to the reduction of services, rationing and the eventual death of innovation.
A public option would drive down cost because it would offer competition to the for-profit insurance industry and keep them honest. Republicans want to protect obscene profits for insurance companies and RAISE TAXES on middle class health benefits instead. If we do nothing, insurance premium will double in 5-10 years and bankrupt the country. The public option is a great idea and a no-brainer.
I wish CNN, or any american source, would do a poll regarding americans understanding of other 1st world nations health-care systems, and the cost they effectively have on their people and the level of care, and then ask them what their opinion on health care is.
Heck, do a poll concerning what a great number of old 2nd world and third world nations do, etc. and then give opinion.
I'm blown away at how a simple google of "universal health care" can take one far beyond the decades old talking points of both Dems. and Repubs.
The WORLD EVOLVED WHILE WE WERE SPINNING OUR RHETORICAL WHEELS
now we have a mess, and ask questions from 40 years ago?
All they need to do is legalize, regulate and tax weed and prostitution and tax porn. Public option paid for. Wasn't that easy? Have a nice day!
Health care reform is needed. However, this isn't something we should rush through just get it done. Both sides need to work together to make this health care plan the best that it can be.
The problem is that the average American doesn't have a clue as to how much money there is in the health care system that is not buying good health for anyone. If this money was recaptured, it would more than pay for the kinds of reforms being proposed. Educate yourself people! Find out why health care is so much more expensive in McAllen, TX vs. at the Mayo Clinic. Read up on "unnecessary procedures". Look at the scientific evidence that proves the value of preventive medicine. Find out how much money we spend on unnecessary ER visits due to peoples' lack of insurance. And I'm not even talking about the huge profits of the insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies, or the profits doctors make by owning imaging equipment for which they refer their patients "just to be sure"...
Our family pays for private insurance and goes without other "fluff" things in life. Sure I'd like the cost to be less, but I don't mind paying when I know I am covered well and receive the exact level of care I expect and am happy with.
I think the number one issue for those who already are paying for private insurance is NOT the cost going up – but rather the quality of the care going DOWN and our freedoms of choice being taken away. I am sitting here today with an enlarged lymph node in my neck about to go have a CT scan to see if I have a cancer tumor. I have three young boys at home and by God I want to live!!! I don't want the government slowing down how fast I get treatment, telling me where I can get treatment, or refusing the best of treatment because it cost to much. Liberty is really what it comes down too – a loss of freedoms.
Of course. That's the idea, isn't it? Making health care profitable for the insurance companies and manufacturers and doctors. It's all about increasing volume without losing on reimbursements. And if there is a problem maintaining an "acceptable" level of care, they can just ration care based on what Obama's bureaucrats think you should be allotted. How many visits this year. What they can get from reimbursements. Wether you filed a complaint on a quack.
It's important the industry makes a profit. That universal access for the needy stuff will fix itself in time. Like unemployment. The housing market. And War.
51% approve of President Obama's plan and only 38% approve of the neo-con plan?
I would say that America has spoken on the health care issue and the Dems should use the "reconciliation" aspect to get the health plan passed and not let the obstructionist, stop the will of the majority on the health care issue.
After all, it was no less than Michael Steele that said "bi-partisanship is over-rateed".
We simply agree the leader of the RNC.
Okay, now you are just making crap up? %72 of Americans support a Public Option. Where the hell did you get only %55 think Healt Care Reform is necessary?
CNN< stop trying to make the news. Just report on it. This is absolutely rediculous.
Everyone needs to boycott CNN. MSNBC tells the truth.
How is he going to pay for it? It still sounds like the plan is to tax the benefits provided by our employers. That is a tax on EVERYONE. At least everyone who has a job and works for a living. Oh wait? Isn't that his idea? Put everyone on the dole.
Let's get real.
As long as the AMA controls each and every aspect of American Health Care prices will continue to rise. It is, after asll, the most powerful union in the US and they curtail "apprentices" to keep the wages and benefits high. So any and all health care is going to contiue to go through the roof until we put some real market economies in the system.
I would like to see the day when there were so many doctors around that their spouces would have to sell "Tupperware" to make ends meet.
I bet John King had something to do with this story. I don't trust CNN anymore because of the many Republican partisans who have been hired, starting with Glen Beck. John King and that Chetry from American Morning, Mark Gallanos, etc.
Price for democratic plan on affordable health care: $1.6 trillion over ten years. Current spending by Americans that goes into the pockets of private insurers and health care providers: $2 trillion PER YEAR! The private companies are already ripping us off for over ten times the money the public option would give us.
Our two tiered health system allows insurance companies to charge individuals one price while allowing drastic reductions to insurance companies. Health services should have the same price to individuals or insurance companies.
It does not take more money to fix Health Care, because we are already spending the money on the current system, which by the way According to the World Health Organization we are now 37th in the world in healthcare, and the cost of our healthcare is far higher than any other Western Power. What we need to do is restructure how we are spending the money currently.
The country needs now a courageous move on health care. Corrections and changements from lobby groups will come up later – no matter which kind of reform will succeed for the moment.
Of course they do. Because the Republicans have been working so hard to scare them.
The thing is, in every other country in the world, they all have socialized medicine and pay significantly less thant he US currently pays. Canada, for example, pays nearly half of what the US citizens do per year per citizen. Even adjusted for difference in the worth of a dollar and population thats still significantly less.
There is no reason the US can't do it. The Republicans just don't want to because it would mean their insurance fraud company buddies wouldn't be able to rob people anymore.
I have never seen such selfish, aristocratic behavior in my life!!! Some of these people make me think of someone who, while they are going down in quicksand, refuse the rope you throw them because it hurts their hands. Others remind me of someone who will refuse a place on a raft for someone in the water because it might mean that everyone would get wet, knowing that the person in the water will eventually drown otherwise. What is wrong with us???
Government is never going to reduce healthcare costs – just look at how badly Medicare is run and how much it is costing us (it will bankrupt the country or incur massive tax increases) and now consider extending this model to everyone. If 46 m. people can't get healthcare, (a third of whom are illegal immigrants who would not qualify for healthcare anyway), why not design a program just for them, instead of throwing away the baby with the bathwater – existing programs that cover 300 m. people? Does healthcare need to be reformed even so? – yes. Get government out of over-regulating it. Eliminate restrictions you and I have on purchasing insurance sold in other states not regulated by your own state – open up competition across the country. Eliminate tax advantages for employer-based healthcare so healthcare is personalized and portable, and subject to the same market forces of price and quality competition that the rest of the economy experiences, leading to lower prices and higher quality all around.
No come on it won't. The federal government is the most efficient money spending machine in the US economy. If Obama wants it he must have it and he knows the government can do it better than those companies that have to make a profit for shareholders.
The reason people are so confused about all of this is because Republicans have been consistently lying and telling people that the world is going to end if HC reform goes through. They are protecting their insurance donors and their own assets. No one cared about the deficit or anything else until the Republican started beating that drum.
This Statement should have been said first and not at the end of your article. The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, with 1,026 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.This is to CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser, 1,026 people don't speak for everyone. You should say out of 1,026 people ask 52% said my health care will go up, Don't say America is worried about their plan will go up go. Now go back to the same people and ask them, over the last eight years did your health plan or their medical insurance costs increase also did prescription medication.
One major argument that is missing from the healthcare debate is the moral conscience of the country. Of course healthcare is costly and covering all Americans will be expensive. As a nation that prides itself as the most generous in the world, why can't that same moral purpose that drives our sense of charity be extended to members of our society? Why can't we argue that it is morally responsible to provide health insurance to all our citizens. We spend billions of dollars to care for the sick in other parts of the world. How about those on the margin of our society? I think people who put a price tag on human life should know that a healthy citizen is an asset to their country.
I wonder how many of the folks polled are between the ages of 25 and 65, the general age group that purchases health insurance for themselves and their families? The Republicans and insurance group lobby is doing a great job with the propaganda since I've seen polls that most americans want a public option. This leads me to believe that the questions are designed to confuse the stupid in this country. Of course it boils down to the same old thing, Americans want the best of everything, they just don't want to pay for it. Why folks think it's better to have an insurance company and share holders come between them and their Dr is better than the Gov managing the program (no profit motive) is beyond me. I guess if you are between the ages of 25-65 and have no insurance and have a life threatening disease, hold a bake sale.
Our people have been conditioned to expect goverment programs to have no cost to them and this needs to change. We pay medical premiums at the present time and those on Medicare who elect an HMO have the cost paid by the government in addition to their part B monthly premium cost. But, many forget who is paying after awhile.
Can you give us a list of the salaries paid to the insurance people to administer our health care?
The high cost of health insurance premiums can be replaced by a health tax and the tax will be lower than the premiums paid by Americans and their employers. Americans can choose whatever doctor s/he wants and all the government will do is pay the bill. This is known as the Single Payer health care system.