Small Biz Health Care Daily: Poll on Health Care Reform

Gallup released a new poll on October 22 regarding health care reform. It seems that people are increasingly realizing that more government involvement in health care would not be a good thing.

For example:

• 49% of Americans say that their health care costs would increase with a health care bill passed this year (up from 42% last month), while only 22% said they would get better, and 27% expecting no change.

• “In addition to costs, a greater percentage of Americans now compared with last month also expect their healthcare situation to get worse in terms of the quality of care they receive (from 33% in September to 39%), their healthcare coverage (from 33% to 37%), and the insurance company requirements they have to meet to get certain treatments covered (from 38% to 46%).” As for the breakdowns in these areas in this latest poll:

- Quality of health care: 19% better, 40% no change, 39% worse
- Health care coverage: 20% better, 40% no change, 37% worse
- Insurance company requirements: 25% better, 25% no change, 46% worse

The heavy tilt towards health care generally getting worse rather than better, according to these poll numbers, are completely justified based on the experience we’ve already had with government health care programs. More government means higher costs and reduced quality of care.

Raymond J. Keating
Chief Economist
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council