POLL: 60% of public support public option, including 57% of independents.

[jefferson_dem]

Most in U.S. want public health option: poll
Thu Dec 3, 2009 6:43am EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most Americans would like to see a "public option" in health insurance reform but doubt anything Congress does will lower costs or improve care in the short term, according to a poll released on Thursday.

The survey of 2,999 households by Thomson Reuters Corp shows a public skeptical about the cost, quality and accessibility of medical care.

Just under 60 percent of those surveyed said they would like a public option as part of any final healthcare reform legislation, which Republicans and a few Democrats oppose.

Here are some of the results of the telephone survey of 2,999 households called from November 9-17 as part of the Thomson Reuters PULSE Healthcare Survey:

* Believe in public option: 59.9 percent yes, 40.1 percent no.

* 86 percent of Democrats support the public option versus 57 percent of Independents and 33 percent of Republicans.

* Quality of healthcare will be better 12 months from now: 35 percent strongly disagree. 11.6 percent strongly agree. 29.9 percent put themselves in the middle.

* Believe the amount of money spent on healthcare will be less 12 months from now: 52 percent strongly disagree, 13 percent strongly agree.

* 23 percent believe it will be easier for people to receive the care they need a year from now.

The nationally representative survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.8 percent

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[Peacetrain]

1. K&R... will have to save to read details later.. thanks..

[uponit7771]

2. Good news...

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. With 60 seats in the Senate and 60% public approval it's no wonder

the public will be disillusioned with Democrats if we are not given a real public option as part of health care reform.

[fugop]

4. Can't wait

I'm SURE the press will be blasting these poll numbers all over the place, right? Right?

[reggie the dog]

5. Do you hear that Democrats???? 86% of your base

wants a strong public option......as do a majority of independents.........but you will probably sell us all out to the corporations that own your souls wont you?

[otohara]

6. this deserves a BUMP

[slipslidingaway]

7. Selling the public option was a brilliant marketing campaign....

at the end of 2007 about 58% of the American people supported a national HC system, administered by the government, paid for by taxes.

Then came the campaign to keep the for profit companies in business - it was magnificent.

The insurance companies will get new customers, they stand to lose many customers as the baby boomers enroll in Medicare, from 46 million people to 79 million people. Yet somehow any efficiencies in Medicare will be used to pay for the new HC system - still do not understand that one. Everything will come to together later this decade when we also have to start paying back the Social Security Trust fund - over 2 trillion dollars.