Health care or health scare?

Eric Anderson, Principal and CEOLaura Giocomo, Associate

What does the public know about reform?

Where is the public learning about health care reform?

Source: http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/upload/8127-F.pdf

Fact vs. Myth

Source: http://www.kff.org/healthreform/upload/8148.pdf

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• Eric Patashnik, University of Virginia professor, breaks down the two greatest myths:

1. That America currently has a private health care system2. That Americans “overwhelmingly despise the current

health care system.”

More myths

Source: www.virginia.edu.uvatoday

• However, they still have major concerns about how universal coverage could affect them

• Higher taxes?

• Increased health care costs?

• Lower quality?

• Longer wait time for treatment?

The “what’s in it for me?” mentality

80 percent of Americans support universal health care coverage

Source: www.virginia.edu.uvatoday

• 55 percent of Americans disapprove of the plan to cut off funding to the new health care reforms

• Yet 51 percent of Americans still disapprove of the original legislation

• 21 percent think the new law will make the health care system better, while 23 percent think it will make the health care system worse

A majority of the public disapproves of the Republican idea to cut off funding for health care reform

Source: CBS News Poll, Feb, 2011

Divided public opinion on health care reform

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, Dec. 2010

Shifting opinions among seniors

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, Dec. 2010

•35 percent say Congress should change the law so it does more

•33 percent say that Congress should repeal it completely

Dislike law – but like components

What should Congress do with the 2010 health care law?

Source: McClatchy-Marist Poll, Nov. 2010

Do you think that Congress should repeal the portion that stops insurance companies from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions?

•59 percent believe that this portion should remain in law

•36 percent believe that this portion should be repealed

•68 percent believe that this portion should remain in law

•29 percent believe this portion should be repealed

Dislike law – but like components

Do you think that Congress should repeal the portion that allows children up to age 26 to stay on their parents’ insurance

Source: McClatchy-Marist Poll, Nov. 2010

Do you think that Congress should repeal the portion that closes the so-called donut hole in Medicare prescription drug coverage?

•57 percent believe that this portion should remain in law

•32 percent believe that this portion should be repealed

• "Of all the factors that contributed to Republican gains in the congressional elections, the President's healthcare reform does not appear to have been the significant drag on Democratic candidates.”

- Brad Woodhouse, Democratic National Committee communications director

• "This election was a clear signal that voters do not want President Obama's health care plan.”

- Bill McInturff, Republican pollster

What effect did health care have on 2010 election?

Source: Washington Post, Nov. 7, 2010

House efforts to defund federal health care law

Source: Washington Post, Feb. 18, 2011

• The GOP wants to repeal health care reform

• Obstacles to repealing federal health care reform:1. Democrats control the Senate and the White House2. Implementation funds were appropriated in the law itself

• Possible repeal strategies:1. Enact legislation rescinding implementation funds2. Attach language to all budget bills that restricts funding to

carry out health care reform

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• Colorado’s congressional delegation split cleanly along party

lines on H.R. 2 to repeal federal reform.

The Colorado Politics of Health Care Reform

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• Colorado voters rejected a measure to block federal health care reform (Amendment 63)

• Voters approved health care freedom acts in three states:• Missouri• Arizona• Oklahoma

“Health care freedom acts” have mixed reviews

Source: American Medical News, Nov. 2010

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•65 percent of voters believe that it is unconstitutional to require Americans to buy health insurance

•Virginia and Florida federal judges say that the health care reform act is not constitutional

• Colorado Attorney General John Suthers joined a number of attorneys general in challenging the constitutionality of the individual insurance mandate

Constitutional?

Source: American Medical News, Nov. 2010, McClatchy-Marist Poll, Nov. 2010

How do we move forward?

Source: Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, Dec. 2010