NN&I - April 2010
12 Nephrology News & Issues April 2010www.nephronline.comHealth Care Beat The same poll probed concerns about the program, find-ing similar worries to what pollsters hear from respondents on health care reform now, including majorities concerned about escalating costs, increased taxes, and taking a step toward socialized medicine. Following President Lyndon B. Johnson's election, Americans remained somewhat divided on the plan, with 46% telling Harris pollsters in February 1965 that they'd prefer "a Federal law which would provide medical care for the aged by a special tax, like Social Security" and 36% more inclined to support "a plan of expanded private health insur -ance." Then, as now, Democrats were more apt to favor the government option (58%) than were Republicans (27%). Asked another way, 62% said they favored "President Johnson's program of medical care for the aged under Social Security." A smaller majority, 56%, backed the American Medical Association's alternative plan, which would have "everyone who could afford it covered by private health insurance" and "those who couldn't afford it...covered under a government health plan." Assessing these conflicting views, pollster Louis Harris concluded, "So deep is the concern about medical care for the aged that the American people would welcome any of a variety of national plans." Now, Medicare is widely seen as an important govern-ment service. An April 2009 survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation found nearly eight in 10 (77%) consider it "very important" for the country as a whole. And 96% consider it "somewhat important."Lawmakers are interested in these polls, but ultimately not concerned about their results because the American governmental system is not a democracy. Laws do not get passed with a vote by the people. America is a representa-tive democracy, where laws are implemented by a congress of people who only act as representatives of the whole. And when the populous voted for these political avatars, they chose a congress who favor health reform by a thin majority. So will the population feel they are not being fully represented? Or will they unanimously approve this in 45 years? South poll: health care fight mirrors itselfBy Thomas KeatingWe know the story. A new, young Democratic president attempted to change the way some Americans get their health care. He failed. Then years later, the fight was revived after the election of another Democrat. Some favored a govern -ment-run program while others backed a plan operated by private insurers. Then it all got backed up in July. July 1965.The program was Medicare, and infighting over its pas-sage 45 years ago this July closely resembles the debate tak -ing place in Washington today. And as of March 15, a lot of voters still oppose the plan the same way they have for months. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 43% favor the health care plan proposed by President Obama and con -gressional Democrats, while 53% oppose it. Those findings include 23% who "strongly favor" the plan and 46% who "strongly oppose" it. The numbers are virtually unchanged from last week and are consistent with findings in regularly tracking going back to late November. Democrats continue to overwhelmingly support the plan, while Republicans and voters not affili-ated with either party strongly oppose it. And 57% of voters also believe the health care reform plan now working its way through Congress will hurt the U.S. economy and 55% of voters believe the cost of health care will go up if the Democrats' plan becomes law. Just 18% say it will make costs go down. About 20% predict costs will stay about the same. Of those with insurance now, 76% rate their own coverage as good or excellent. Seems alarming, but this is not new. A July 1962 Gallup poll found mixed feelings about President John F. Kennedy's Medicare proposal: 28% said they held generally favorable views of his plan, 24% were generally unfavorable, and a sizable plurality (33%) said they didn't have an opinion on it or hadn't heard about the plan. A month later, after Congress had rejected Kennedy's proposal, an Opinion Research Corporation poll found 44% said the plan should have passed, while 37% felt Congress did the right thing. HCB_NNI0410_3.indd 12 3/18/10 2:35:46 PM
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