National Health Care Survey Results Released

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Nearly two-thirds of Americans prefer high-quality care for most over lower quality care for all

74% oppose higher personal and business income taxes to pay for universal coverage

Major congressional issues tested

WASHINGTON – The Tuesday Group PAC today released the results of a nationwide survey of voter attitudes on health care.  The poll, funded by the Tuesday Group PAC and conducted by The Tarrance Group, surveyed 500 registered likely voters on June 3 and 4 and had a margin of error of +/- 4.5%.

Those surveyed identified "strengthening the national economy" (26%) as the top issue facing President Obama and the Congress by better than two-to-one.  The other top issues included "improving health care"
(11%), "dealing with the financial crisis" (11%), and "balancing the federal budget" (10%).

When asked about insurance coverage, 89% of respondents said they or their immediate family currently have coverage and an overwhelming majority where either “extremely” or “very” satisfied (63%) with their plans.  Only 30% were “somewhat satisfied” and 6% were “not at all satisfied.”  The survey asked what they liked most about their health insurance plan and a significant number said choosing their own doctor was most important.  The high price of health insurance coverage was the top reason respondents disliked their current insurance plan and 65% believe that frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits are one of the main reasons why health care costs are so high.

Focusing on the three options currently being considered by Congress to change health care, the survey found 27% in favor of a government-run system to cover the uninsured, 38% favored enacting reforms to lower the cost of health insurance offered by most employers, and 27% thought providing Americans with a tax credit to purchase their own health insurance was preferable.

In a series of questions focused on how to pay for health insurance coverage for the uninsured, 50% opposed eliminating the tax benefit that employers receive for providing health insurance to their employees, 56% opposed reinstating the death tax and raising the capital gains tax to fund a government-run health plan, and 65% believed it was better to have a ‘high quality’ health care system that covers most people than it would be to have a low-quality health care system that covers all people.

When asked how they felt about the government-run health care systems in Canada and Great Britain, only 31% preferred their government-run system and when asked their overall impression of government-run health care, 30% were extremely negative and 19% very negative.  The survey’s strongest results came in response to a series of questions about access and quality of care issues related to a government-run health care system being considered by Congress:

• 74% said that Congress should not raise income taxes on millions of Americans and small businesses to pay for a government-run health care system that would cover everyone
• 82% were opposed to a government-run system that would take away their freedom to choose their own doctors
• 83% were opposed to a government-run system that would deny certain medical services and treatments
• 77% were opposed to a government-run system that would give illegal aliens the same health care benefits and access to health care as Americans
• 74% were opposed to a government-run system that would cut tax credits for employer-provided health insurance, causing the employer to drop this benefit and force their employees into the government-run program
• 84% were opposed to a government-run system that rationed health care services