Viewing entries tagged with 'Poll Vault'
POLL VAULT: New Deloitte Survey -- Majority Think New Reform Law Will Lead to Higher Medical Prices and Higher Taxes
Posted by The Campaign on June 11, 2010 at 7:42 AM
With reform now the law of the land more and more surveys are being released about people's expectations of the impact of the new law on the health care system and on their personal health care. The latest survey comes from The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions (DCHS), part of Deloitte LLP, in which they survey 1,019 adults aged 18 and older.
The results are very interesting with questions ranging from impact of the reform law on access and costs, to the effectiveness of certain provisions to people's view of their own insurance coverage.
Here are some key highlights from the survey:
43% of all adults surveyed think they will be "worse off" under the new law vs. 36% that think they will be better off
- Among those with employer-provided coverage, 46% think they will be worse off
76% think the cost of the reform bill will be higher than expected
- Among those with employer-provided coverage, 82% think the cost of the reform bill will be higher than expected
53% DISAGREE with the statement "The reform will reduce health care costs in the long term"
- 66% think that hospitals and physicians will increase prices
- 54% think the price of medication will increase as a result of the new law
- Only 30% think cuts in the rate of growth of Medicare costs will be effective
76% think taxes will increase
- 78% of people with employer-provided coverage think taxes will increase
- 80% of individually insured adults think taxes will increase
One stat probably won't hear but it is really telling: "Of the 82 percent of consumers surveyed who consider themselves 'well' or 'adequately' insured, 96 percent are 'very satisfied' or 'satisfied' with their insurance company's performance in serving their needs."
BREAKING NEWS: New Survey Shows Employers Think Costs Will Rise Under New Reform law
Posted by The Campaign on May 26, 2010 at 6:47 AM
Throughout the health care reform debate, there were many voices that raised concerns about the issue of health care costs and whether the new reform law would adequately address in a meaningful way the ever increasing growth in costs. One of those voices was America's employers, and while they regularly raised the issue of costs, the law seemed to have ignored those concerns and did not effectively develop long term strategies on this issue.
It is not surprise then that a survey released yesterday by Towers Watson shows that employers' concerns about health care costs has not abated. Click here for the full survey, and read below for some highlights as reported in an AP story from today:
"Big companies think health care reform will hike their costs..."
"...94 percent of those that responded believe the reform law passed by Congress earlier this year will raise costs."
"Some companies could see small reform-related cost hikes next year, after the start of provisions that ban lifetime maximums for benefits and extend coverage of young adult dependents on parental plans to age 26."
"Containing health care costs was an essential or high priority for 96 percent of survey respondents..."
POLL VAULT: No Shock Here -- Nearly 6 in 10 Americans Think Reform Law Will Increase Costs
Posted by The Campaign on May 11, 2010 at 1:43 PM
While the health care reform debate has receeded a little bit from the public domain, America's views on the bill haven't changed very much. In fact, Americans continue to think, overwhelmingly, that the reform law will increase their health care costs.
The latest proof comes from Rasmussen's latest poll:
"Fifty-eight percent (58%) expect the cost of health care to go up under the new law, up slightly from last week and the highest result found so far."
Click here for more on results from Rasmussen's latest poll.
POLL VAULT: 3 Out of 4 Americans Rate Their Current Health Plan As Good or Excellent
Posted by The Campaign on May 04, 2010 at 12:45 PM
The health care reform debate may be over, but polling on the issue has not stopped. The latest Rasmussen Poll was released and it includes the usual questions about people's support for the health care system (it's up) and about the reform law and its impact on people's coverage (that's down). But it also included this nugget:
"Three-out-of-four (75%) adults who currently have health insurance rate their coverage as good or excellent, showing virtually no change since February but up five points from a year ago. Just seven percent (7%) rate their own health care coverage as poor."
To read full results and analysis of the poll, click here.
POLL VAULT: New Gallup Poll Shows Consensus on Costs -- More Needs to Be Done
Posted by The Campaign on March 31, 2010 at 12:55 PM
Gallup released its latest poll on health care reform and the findings continue to echo the concern about health care costs that independent experts and economists have been raising (and that the Campaign has highlighted.) Here are some key findings from the poll:
"Proponents, as well as opponents, of the new healthcare reform law think the legislation is less than perfect. Both groups agree that the bill didn't do enough to deal with rising healthcare costs."
56% of independents do not think the bill does enough to address costs.
Even among those who think the bill was a good thing, 62% think the bill does not do enough to address costs.
For the full results, click here.
Premiums, Polls and Physicians -- What is Going on in the World of Costs
Posted by The Campaign on March 30, 2010 at 12:06 PM
It has been almost a week since the health care reform legislation became law, but one thing that hasn't changed is the growing concern over the new law's impact on premiums and people's health care costs.
In fact, the Associated Press released an analysis from the RAND Corporation today which showed that premiums for young people in their 20s and early 30s will dramatically increase. From the AP story:
Under the health care overhaul, young adults who buy their own insurance will carry a heavier burden of the medical costs of older Americans - a shift expected to raise insurance premiums for young people when the plan takes full effect...premiums for young adults seeking coverage on the individual market would likely climb by 17 percent on average, or roughly $42 a month, according to an analysis of the plan conducted for The Associated Press...The higher costs will pinch many people in their 20s and early 30s who are struggling to start or advance their careers with the highest unemployment rate in 26 years.
And it's not just RAND saying this will happen, the AP also reports that other experts are arguing that premiums will increase for younger individuals as well. Jim O'Connor an actuary for independent consulting firm Milliman, Inc. estimates that young males will see increases between 10-30 percent. O'Connor says "Young males will be hit the hardest".
While premiums rise for younger folks, it must be good for other working families and employers right? Well not so quick according to AEI's John Calfee. Calfee writes in Forbes "The first thing ObamaCare will do is increase insurance costs." Calfee goes on to point out some serious concerns with the approach in the new law to control premium increases -- price controls. Calfee argues:
Insurance premium price controls cannot do much good. States that already review or control premiums show that premiums are driven by costs.
And Calfee warns this is even before 2014 which he argues is when "Pressure on premiums will become more intense." Why? Simple: a coverage requirement that is too weak. Calfee writes "In the crucial individual insurance market, the penalty for failing to purchase insurance will be only $95 or 1% of income (whichever is more) in 2014, $325 (2.0%) in 2015 and $695 (2.5%) in 2016." What will happen then -- "With healthier consumers opting out of the insurance risk pool, premiums will escalate--probably a lot." (Our emphasis.)
This leads Calfee to conclude:
There are good reasons to worry that come 2015, the nation will be immersed in a crisis of uncontrolled costs and rising insurance premiums. After all, the reform package is essentially devoid of powerful cost control.
Devoid of powerful cost control? That is strong language and can't be right can it? The New York Times has a special section today on the new health care law, and one article seems to backup Calfee's assertion. In the article by the NY Times' Gina Kolota "Law May Do Little Little to Help Curb Unnecessary Care" it is clear that the new law lacks real tools to deal with the 30 percent of health care spending that is wasteful or does nothing to improve quality. Kolota interviews doctors and economists and they seem to agree (although in fairness some say the law takes an important first step) that "the new health care legislation...is not going to make a bit of difference." Kolota continues:
To truly change the nation's chronic overuse of medical care, there will have to be a substantial change in the way patients think about health care, how medicine is practiced and how it is paid for, economists and doctors say. The legislation does little to help in those areas.
So where does the legislation come up short the most? According to the article "But the law in no way forces patients or doctors to choose one test or treatment over another or to aim for the cheapest alternative. And it does nothing to change the reimbursement system, in which doctors often make more money if they order more tests, for instance."
Even doctors are concerned about the lack of cost controls and ways to turn the system more toward value then volume. Check out this quote from the end of the story from one doctor interviewed:
"I really believe that in our heart of hearts most doctors want to curb this. We know what we are doing. And we are frustrated, too. But we can't help ourselves. There is nothing to stop us and nothing to be gained by stopping."
These stories may be why the new law has not changed people's perspective with respect to what they think the impact will be on their costs and costs to the nation, at least according to the latest Gallup poll.
According to Gallup, "One week after the passage of historic new healthcare legislation, Americans remain worried about the bill's effect on costs -- both for the nation as a whole and for them personally. A majority of Americans say healthcare costs in the U.S. and the federal budget deficit will get worse as a result of the bill. Half of Americans believe that healthcare costs for themselves and their families will get worse."
POLL VAULT: Latest Gallup Poll Shows Americans Most Concerned About Costs
Posted by The Campaign on March 09, 2010 at 2:46 PM
Gallup released its latest poll, and it shows among people who oppose the current reform legislation the biggest reason for opposition is the impact the legislation will have on costs.
Key findings:
There has been greater change in opponents' stated reasons for wanting to defeat the president's proposed healthcare legislation. Now, 20% of opponents say it will raise insurance costs, up from 9% in September. Nineteen percent currently believe the legislation will not address the real problems in the system, up from 10% in September.
Over time, healthcare reform opponents have increasingly come to doubt whether the legislation Congress is considering will control costs and really fix the problems that plague the healthcare system. Supporters are more hopeful that it will make insurance more affordable, but much of their support rides on their belief that all Americans should have insurance.
Full results, click here.
Poll Vault: On Health Care, 51% Fear Government More Than Insurance Companies
Posted by The Campaign on February 24, 2010 at 8:12 AM
The following memo was released today by Rasmussen looking at the American public's view of the government and private health plans: When it comes to health care decisions, 51% of the nation’s voters fear the federal government more than private insurance companies. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% hold the opposite view and fear the insurance companies more. Seven percent (7%) are not sure who they fear the most. Among those who have insurance, 53% fear the government more than insurance companies while 39% take the opposite view. Those without insurance fear the insurance companies more. Adults under 30 fear the insurance companies more while those in their 40s are evenly divided. However, a solid majority of those over 40 fear the government more. These findings help explain fears by some of a government "takeover" of health care under the reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. (Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook. Not surprisingly, there is a huge partisan divide on this question. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of Democrats fear private insurance companies more than government while 82% of Republicans hold the opposite view. As for those not affiliated with either major party, 53% fear government more. Most of those who attend church at least once a month fear the government more. Those who rarely or never attend church or religious services fear private insurance companies more. While 41% fear the insurance companies more than the government, just 25% agree with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that health insurance companies are "villains."
FACT CHECK Redux: Polls Show American People Satisfied With Their Health Plan
Posted by The Campaign on January 27, 2010 at 2:50 PM
Much of the focus of recent polling has been on specific reform proposals. However, a number of surveys conducted throughout 2009 showed a common thread -- people's satisfaction with their own health insurance or health coverage.
We have included a number of these findings below:
CNN/Opinion Research:
- 74% of people are satisfied with their personal health insurance coverage.
- 83% of people are satisfied with their own health care.
Employee Benefits Research Institute:
- 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.
Fox News/Opinion Dynamics:
- 84% of people surveyed said the quality of their personal health insurance was either excellent or good.
- 83% of people surveyed said the quality of care they receive is either excellent or good.
Quinnipiac University:
- 85% of Americans are very or somewhat satisfied with their own health insurance plan.
The University of Texas/Zogby International:
- 84% of people are satisfied with their health care.
The Washington Post:
- 81% of people are satisfied with their health insurance coverage.
- 88% of people are satisfied with the quality of care they receive.
The New York Times:
- 77% of people are satisfied with the quality of their own care.
- 77% of people said that basic medical care covered by their health insurance plan is affordable.
Democracy Corps:
- 72% of people are satisfied with their own health insurance coverage vs. 75% in 1993 - not a significant change.
- 76% of self-identified independents are satisfied with their coverage as are 72% of Democrats and 78% of Republicans.
Gallup:
- "Among all Americans, 83% say the quality of healthcare they receive is either ‘excellent' or ‘good.' Only 16% say it's either ‘only fair' or ‘poor.'"
- "Americans are only a bit less positive about their own healthcare coverage, with 67% describing the coverage they now have as excellent or good."
- Gallup's conclusion: "At the same time, [Americans surveyed] are pleased with the quality of medical treatment in the country, and are mostly satisfied with their own healthcare quality, coverage, and costs."
CNN/Opinion Research Poll:
- In March 2009, 73% of Americans were satisfied with their own health insurance coverage. NOTE: In November 2007, the satisfaction rating was 69%.
Employee Benefits Research Institute:
- 93% of people enrolled in a traditional health care plan were satisfied with the quality of coverage they received through their health plan (including 31% extremely satisfied).
- 93% of people enrolled in a traditional health care plan were satisfied with their plan.
- 86% of people enrolled in a traditional health care plan were likely to stay with their current plan.
POLL VAULT: Health Care Costs Continues to Be #1 Issue in Many States, Nation
Posted by The Campaign on January 14, 2010 at 2:29 PM
Poll after poll continues to show that Americans are the most worried about health care costs and the impact the current reform proposals will have on their own personal health care costs.
Here is a sampling of recent national and state surveys on health care costs:
Pew Research: “By two-to-one (40% vs. 21%) more Americans believe the health legislation, if passed, would increase, not decrease their out-of-pocket costs, and this concern spans demographic groups. Among those 65 and older, 46% believe their costs would rise, as do 44% of Americans 50 to 64.” (p.15)
“In both middle-income households ($30,000-$74,999) nearly half (47%) expect their out-of-pocket costs to rise, while just 18% believe they would pay less, and the balance is similar among those with higher incomes.” (p. 15)
Nevada: 54% say cost is the biggest problem with health care vs. 15% lack of universal coverage vs. 18% quality of care
New Hampshire: 55% say cost is the biggest problem with health care vs. 28% lack of universal coverage vs. 10% quality of care
Ohio: 52% says costs is the biggest problem with health care vs. 20% who say lack of universal coverage vs. 14% quality of care
