Poll: 56 Percent Of Americans Believe Health Reform Includes A Public Option

[ProSense]

Poll: 56 Percent Of Americans Believe Health Reform Includes A Public Option

By Igor Volsky

A new Kaiser Family Foundation poll finds that support for the Affordable Care Act increased since its lowest approval dip in October, but Americans are still unsure of the actual provisions included in President Obama’s health care reform law. For instance, while 44 percent of voters have an unfavorable view of reform, 50 percent want to expand or keep it in place, with only 37 percent supporting repeal. A majority also favor its most popular elements like easy-to-understand benefit summaries and tax credits for small businesses:



But a surprisingly high number of voters are unaware that these these provisions are actually part of the law, with a majority falsely believing the ACA includes a new public option. A third of respondents also “think the law allows a government panel to make decisions about end-of-life care for people on Medicare”:

<...>

Kaiser suggests that public disapproval of the law has less to do with the actual provisions in the law — voters either like them or don’t know about them — and more with the “general disillusionment with the state of the country and Washington politics” (and, I would add, the long drawn out and complicated process of actually passing reform). If that’s the case, then the Democrats have a real opportunity to build support for the measure by highlighting and campaigning on some of its best features, a task that will seem less daunting as a growing number of voters begin to actually benefit from the law.

[rfranklin]

1. Public confusion is a direct result of lies spread by Republicans disguised as Teabaggers...

It was an organized to campaign to misinform the public about the legislation and deflect attention from the catastrophe that resulted from eight years of the Bush Occupation.

[kestrel91316]

2. No wonder nobody wants to fight for a public option. They think we already

have one. Oy vey.

[tridim]

3. That is unbelievable.

Sounds like "Obamacare" needs to be ammended after the election. It's what the people want.

[awoke_in_2003]

8. "It's what the people want"

which is exactly why we will NEVER get it. If the insurance industry doesn't want it, it won't happen. They now have a captive audience with no regulations on cost- that is the only reason the health insurance bailout plan, I mean healthcare reform, passed.

On edit: like George Carlin said "It's a big club, and you ain't in it"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5dBZDSSky0

[progressoid]

14. No shit?

One of the many reasons why the "retarded", "professional left" was bitching about it.

Unfortunately, this P.O.S. is here to stay.

[tridim]

15. Obamacare is NOT a POS.

It's far from perfect, but it's orders of magnitude better than what the GOP wanted. Nothing.

Most of the bitching I heard from the professional left was also due to misinformation and disinformation via supposed progressives partnering with people like Grover Norquist.

You're helping spread disinformation about Obamacare.

[progressoid]

18. progressives partnering with people like Grover Norquist?

Um, OK.

[tridim]

19. Supposed progressives, yes.

Ever heard of Jane Hampshire?

[progressoid]

22. Would that be like

Hillary and Newt teaming up on health care and national security back in 2005?

Or how Mitt, the Heritage Foundation, Nixon, Grassley and most other leading Republicans — were at one time all FOR health care mandates like in the current HCR law?

[tridim]

24. No, it's like Jane Hamshire teaming up with Grover fucking Norquist.

To accomplish, among other things, the destruction of progressive health care reform.

[progressoid]

26. See, this is where I'm confused.

IIRC, Norquist and Hamsher "teamed" up on something unconnected with Obamacare - calling for an investigation into Freddie Mac/Rahm Emanual (unsuccessfully).

Yet you reject an actual connection of Obamacare to Republicans - that is their support of health care mandates like in the current HCR law? :shrug:

[Proud Liberal Dem]

4. Yikes

that's weird (though not terribly surprising given how misinformed/uninformed some people are). I'll wager that a lot of people also believe that government has taken over 1/6 of the economy too via ACA and that we actually now indeed have "socialized medicine" here in the US of A (if only). :eyes: :banghead:

[flpoljunkie]

5. This shows the Republcan's PR strategy against Obamacare a success and Dems' failure to sell ACA.

[ProSense]

6. Exactly, but

Republicans have a lot of help pushing their message. There is no ongoing advocacy or prominent campaigns to expand the bill, which could include a public option or to push up the date for waivers.

[msongs]

7. democrats in positions of power are not interested in a "public option" nt

[ProSense]

9. Then

"democrats in positions of power are not interested in a 'public option'"

...advocate/campaign for the the waivers. There are a few Democratic Governors interested in obtaining one.

The point is that there is no positive counter to the Republican spin.

[treestar]

11. Or it shows that people pay little or no attention to details

And vote ignorant of their own interests.

[treestar]

10. So the right overplayed their hand

Now the opposition to it is questionable, since it could be based on a mistaken premise.

[GOTV]

12. Well, Obama assured us that any bill he signed would have one, and he signed one.

[tridim]

17. So I take it you think the tangible benefits we're enjoying now..

and in 2014 are worthless?

Would you would prefer the GOP plan of doing nothing?

[GOTV]

29. I'm not convinced those were the only two possible options.

[CoffeeCat]

13. Because the idiot Republicans...

...scream bloody murder--with their hair on fire--about this radical, horrendous, Socialist
healthcare bill that was passed--plenty of sheeple believe there's actually something revolutionary
in that non-reform bill.

No sorry. The mega-corporations still sit at the epicenter of our profit-centric healthcare system--making life
and death choices about American citizens--solely based on profit.

So rest well, ya goofballs--the most inane healthcare system of its kind in the Western world--remains intact
in the good ol United States--because our politicians insist on kow towing to the big insurance companies
--no matter how much it bankrupts, sickens or kills their constituents.

YAY!

[bvar22]

16. The Democratic Party WILL Reap the Whirlwind in 2014.

When the Mandate kicks in, and America finds out WHAT is really in the "Affordable Care Act",
all HELL is going to break loose.

40 - 70 MILLION (projected uninsured in 2014) already struggling Working Class Americans are going to be forced to BUY Junk Insurance
that most will NOT be able to use due to high Co-Pay/Deductible.
Even with a subsidy MILLIONS will be forced to Dig Deep into their pockets every year to Pay Off a BIG, Rich Insurance Corporation.
Many WILL be forced to choose between Food on the Table, or Paying Off an Insurance Company for an invisible and near useless product.
Using the IRS as the Enforcement Agency will only add fuel to the fire.

These MILLIONS are going to be PISSED,
and they WILL Blame the Democrats,
and rightly so.
The Democrats passed a Republican Insurance Scam without forcing the Republicans to take ANY responsibility.
ALL the Republicans have to do is sit back and say,
"YEP! We voted against it"
and Democrats will be unelectable for a generation.

It won't be pretty.

Here is Candidate Obama explaining WHY a Mandate to Buy Health Insurance is BAD for America:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acc6Wn_BWlk





You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
Solidarity99!
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[ProSense]

20. Actually

"40 - 70 MILLION (projected uninsured in 2014) already struggling Working Class Americans are going to be forced to BUY Junk Insurance
that most will NOT be able to use due to high Co-Pay/Deductible."

...that's not true. That number includes those who are unemployed, will qualify for a subsidy or waiver and whose employers currently do not offer health benefits. The exchanges and other initiatives will offset the cost for many of them.

[bvar22]

21. As I mentioned above,

...even WITH a Subsidy, Tens of MILLIONS of these Working Class Americans will have to come out of their own pockets to Pony Up for the Mandated "Bronze" policies (AKA "Junk" policies),
or take The Hit from the IRS.

In 2014, YOU can try to explain to THEM how this is really a Wonderful Thing,
But you better start running when you smell the tar heating up.

....Or Was Candidate Obama being dishonest in this video from Campaign 2008
where he explained WHY the MANDATE was BAD for America?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acc6Wn_BWlk

:shrug:




You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.
Solidarity99!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ProSense]

23. Wait

"As I mentioned above, ...even WITH a Subsidy, Tens of MILLIONS of these Working Class Americans will have to come out of their own pockets..."

..."even WITH a Subsidy"?

Even with a public option and single payer, health care isn't free, and no one expects it to be. Medicare is free.

So claiming that people who never had health coverage, want it and will now get a subsidy to help make it affordable will be angry is nonsensical.

[bvar22]

25. Medicare is NOT free.

You may be surprised to learn that every American who Works for a Living pays for Medicare through the FICA Deductions from their paycheck.
As somebody who Worked for a Living all his life, I KNOW this.

You can check it out here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Insurance_Contributions_Act_tax


"So claiming that people who never had health coverage, want it and will now get a subsidy to help make it affordable will be angry is nonsensical."

The Glaring Error in your statement is THIS:
As everybody who has ever had to fight with a Health Insurance Corporation already KNOWS,
Health Insurance, especially Junk Insurance, does NOT equal "Health Coverage".

As Candidate Obama stated in the above Campaign Clip, the reason people do NOT have Health Insurance is that they don't have any money.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acc6Wn_BWlk

Giving somebody who has NO money a 25% subsidy does NOTHING except piss people off.
I KNOW these people.
I LIVE with these people.
I AM one of these people,
and trying to tell them how LUCKY they are for a 25% subsidy,
and then forcing them to come up with 75% of the price out of their pocket every year
for something that they can't afford to use,
when they are already struggling to pay for food & gasoline
is NOT going to Play well in Peoria or anywhere else.

....ESPECIALLY when they see the photos of the rich Health Insurance Cartel executives
with their new Executive Jets, and their NEW Summer Homes in Aspen.

If you think you can sell this to Middle America,
you are tragically mistaken.


A Perfect Storm is brewing, and scheduled to hit in 2014.
Your OWN OP states that most Americans do NOT know or understand WHAT is in this "historic" reform.
They WILL find out in 2014.
The very best thing that can happen for the future of the Democratic Party
is for the Supreme Court to strike down The Mandate.
Then, the Democratic Party can quickly walk away from the coming nightmare and say,
"Well. At least we tried."

Tick... Tick.... Tick....



Solidarity99!
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[animato]

28. The fine for not paying for health insurance is very minimal

and the subsidies are quite generous.

[dflprincess]

27. I don't see anything that says a person will be guaranteed access to care

Those preventative tests don't do a person a whole lot of good if they can't afford any follow up that's needed.