The general public's desire for health reform is highlighted by this new Diageo Hotline poll, but as we have been saying for years, cost outranks access as a public concern. MoE 3.5%
High Public Support & A Sense of Urgency for Health Care Reform
The Diageo/Hotline Poll finds that 62% of voters support "the President enacting a major overhaul of the U.S. health care system," with 38% of voters strongly supporting a major overhaul.
For the most part, support for major reform is strong across the board, though there are differences in support based on partisan affiliation, age, and income levels.
Specifically, one-third (35%) of Republican voters, 64% of Independent voters, and 87% of Democratic voters support a major overhaul of health care.
So, the desire for reform breaks along usual partisan lines, with independents looking a bit more like Dems in terms of recognizing need for reform. Also, this varies by age, with seniors supporting reform but not likin' change as much as their grandkids.
"President Obama and the Democrats start with strong public support for their desire to make major changes to health care in this country," commented Amy Walter, Editor-in-Chief of The Hotline. "Even so, those who are likely to be the happiest with the status quo - or at least most worried about change (those over 65 and those in the upper income bracket) - are probably the first to abandon reform once the details are revealed."
The Poll also finds supporters of health care reform bring a sense of urgency to the issue: among those who do support a major overhaul, the vast majority (94%) says that it is "important" for "Congress and the President to pass health care legislation this year."
What is vastly important, though is focusing in on what's important to voters: cost, cost, cost and cost. And access. Did I mention cost?
The Poll finds that, despite broad agreement on the need for health care legislation, there is some division over which aspect of reform should be more of a priority. In other words, voters (49%) say that "controlling the cost of health care" should be a bigger focus than "expanding coverage for Americans without health insurance" (35%).
And that, too, is partisan. And in this case, indies side with Republicans. Asked about what the greater focus should be:
But sometimes the partisan divide can be bridged!! Specifically:
Taxing Benefits to Pay for Health Care Reform Is a "Non-Starter"
While public support for health care reform is strong, when it comes to paying for health care reform, voters are decidedly against the idea of taxing health benefits. Specifically, only 26% support taxing health benefits, while 68% of voters oppose, with 51% strongly opposing taxing benefits.
The Poll finds opposition to taxing benefits spans the partisan divide. Specifically, taxing health benefits is opposed by 79% of Republicans, 73% of Independents, and 51% of Democrats.
There are readings as well on Obama's standings with the public (65% approval) and right/ wrong track (right now higher than wrong 45-43), but health care is the main topic of interest. Note that even the folks least likely to support change (higher income, seniors) still do so.
Republicans remain the Party of No (no ideas, no support, no don't (fill in blank).) At the same time, cost is important and outranks access as a public concern. Discussions about cost are therefore highly appropriate and address the public interest.
The urgency and support for the public is there for change, bipartisan or no, but what kind of change remains to be defined. That's an unfinished job, more for The Hill than for the polls.