The Employee Benefits Research Institute describes itself thusly:
EBRI focuses solely on employee benefits research — no lobbying or advocacy
EBRI stands alone in employee benefits research as an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization. It analyzes and reports research data without spin or underlying agenda.
When people who have insurance are unhappy, it's about cost. With that intro, here is a damned interesting poll from EBRI (MoE +/- 3.5 %):
Findings from the 2009 Health Confidence Survey—the 12th annual HCS—indicate that Americans have already formed strong opinions regarding various aspects of health reform, even before details have been released regarding various key factors. These issues include health insurance market reform, the availability of a public plan option, mandates on employers and individuals, subsidized coverage for the low-income population, changes to the tax treatment of job-based health benefits, and regulatory oversight of health care. These opinions may change as details surface, especially as they concern financing options. In the absence of such details, the 2009 HCS finds generally strong support for the concepts of health reform options that are currently on the table.
A sample from the full .pdf:
• Only 14 percent of Americans think the health care system needs a major overhaul, but 51 percent agree with the statement "there are some good things about our health care system, but major changes are needed" (Figure 1).
• A majority rate the nation’s health care system as fair (30 percent) or poor (29 percent). Only a small minority give it excellent (6 percent) or very good (10 percent) marks (Figure 2).
EBRI poll results Figure 3
• Between 68 percent and 88 percent of Americans either strongly or somewhat support health reform ideas such as national health plans, a public plan option, guaranteed issue, expansion of Medicare and Medicaid, and employer and individual mandates (Figure 3).
• Americans’ ratings of their own health plan are generally favorable. Fifty-eight percent of those with health insurance coverage are extremely or very satisfied with their current plan, and approximately one-third (30 percent) are somewhat satisfied. Only 11 percent say they are not too or not at all satisfied (Figure 14).
• While half of Americans (56 percent) are extremely or very satisfied with health care quality, far fewer are satisfied with the cost of health insurance (21 percent) or with costs not covered by insurance (18 percent) (Figure 15).
There's lots of consumer-oriented data in this poll, including effects of doctor pricing on health choices, but to hone in on a few things:
The 2009 HCS finds that health care is not the issue that the majority of Americans consider to be most pressing in America today. They are more likely to identify the economy (47 percent) than to name health care (15 percent) when asked about the most critical issue facing America today.
EBRI poll results Figure 1
Nevertheless, dissatisfaction with the American health care system remains widespread. Fourteen percent of Americans say that there is so much wrong with our health care system that it needs to be completely overhauled (down from 24 percent in 2007 and 20 percent in 2008). One-half (51 percent) indicate the statement "there are some good things about our health care system, but major changes are needed" best represents their view. Another 29 percent feel that the health care system works pretty well, but minor changes are needed. Only a very few (4 percent) think the health care system needs no changes (Figure 1).
EBRI poll results Figure 13
The support for 'major change without overhaul' was also reflected in the recent
Diageo Hotline survey. And going back to the Clinton era, the
"my plan is okay" result is typical. But the poll highlights that confidence in the system plummets as
people look 10 years ahead, and towards their Medicare years. That "future look" aspect is something to be highlighted, as the satisfaction now does not translate into complacency.
There's no specific question about single payer. When asked about a "national health plan" the question is presented as "allowing major insurance companies to offer national plans that anyone can offer", i.e., across state lines. But the idea that only 14% want a major overhaul whereas 51% want major changes is ripe for interpretation.
Also of interest is the openness to individual mandates. If you include "somewhat support" from figure 3, support goes to 68%.
Here are some consumer oriented points from the survey:
• Most Americans are at least somewhat comfortable with choosing hospitals and doctors based on rating systems on how successfully they have treated patients with specific conditions. Thirty-two percent were extremely or very comfortable and 38 percent were somewhat comfortable (Figure 7). A sizable percentage reported that they would change doctors if their doctor did not recommend the most effective treatment option.
• A majority say that if two doctors’ quality ratings were about equal, information about total cost would be extremely (27 percent) or very (32 percent) important to them when choosing a doctor (Figure 8). Nearly one-half (48 percent) report that information about the effectiveness of treatments when they are trying to
choose a treatment would be extremely important, and another 32 percent reported it would be very
important.
The bottom line is that with Obama addressing the AMA, which apparently opposes health reform, the president is on the side of the public, and the public sides with Obama and not the AMA. And not just the AMA, but the Senate, needs to note this as well.