Poll: Support for Public Option Grows

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Poll: Support for Public Option Grows

CBS News Poll Shows More Americans Support a Government-Sponsored Health Care Option After the President's Speech to Congress

President Obama made some progress explaining his health care reform proposals to Americans with his speech Wednesday night, a new CBS News poll shows, winning more support for a so-called public option. Still, Americans are mostly doubtful health care coverage can be expanded to more Americans without increasing the deficit.

After Mr. Obama’s Congressional address on health care reform, CBS re-interviewed 648 adults who were first interviewed in a CBS News Poll conducted August 27-31. Fifty-three percent of them say they tuned in to watch the speech.

Among those who watched, 60 percent say they mostly agree with the health care plans the president presented; 33 percent mostly disagree.

Many Americans still aren’t sure he has met one important goal -- clarifying what reforms would mean - although there has been major improvement.

Policy Options

In his speech, President Obama offered support for the so-called “public option” -- a government-administered health insurance plan -- but said it was only one part of his plan. Support for the public option has risen since last week from 57 percent to 68 percent. Among speech watchers, support for the public option lies at 70 percent.

The president also discussed reforms, such as requiring health insurance companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions and mandating coverage for everyone.

Most Americans - 73 percent - support such increased regulation of insurance companies (including a limit on the ability of companies to deny people coverage). The public is more divided on the issue of requiring all Americans to buy health insurance, but 54 percent still favors that.

In his speech, Mr. Obama argued that a public health option, health exchanges, and other reforms would increase competition in the health insurance marketplace. While 46 percent of Americans agree with the president, 19 percent disagree, and 26 percent say there would be no impact.

There are still some doubts about whether health care coverage can be expanded to more Americans without increasing the deficit. While 52 percent say that is not possible, 42 percent think it is.

Bipartisanship

After the speech, 52 percent say they approve of how the president is handling health care, up from 40 percent last week.

The president’s speech was particularly successful in unifying Democrats. As many as 85 percent of them now approve of Mr. Obama’s handling of health care. And even though approval also rose among independents and Republicans, independents are still divided, and only 17 percent of Republicans approve the president’s handling of health care.

[Donna A 4]

the prezzz is coming to the GM where i worked on the 15th. probably to sell his healthcare plan.

[Heracles 417]

[HAL 9000 96]

I guess this is what happens when people go from not being informed via hysterical lies to the details of the plan itself- as some surveys have pointed out in the past.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

the prezzz is coming to the GM where i worked on the 15th. probably to sell his healthcare plan.

[HAL 9000 96]

Will Donna yell... YOU LIE too??

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

[Heracles 417]

It's common sense. While many here disingenuously like to use the international example as a negative, the realty is that not one developed country has implemented or wants to implement the current US system. Every developed country is using either UHC or a NHS. This enormous fact is hard to propagate through the thick skull many have here because from birth people are told the world is the US. The US is the world. Therefore, any international examples are null and void. Take any issue and you will see the same group of people, with the worst offenders being repubs, refuse to look at international examples, however, they will be first to pick an chose a negative international example.

I think these repubs need a reality check. I hope none of them use the latest swine flu vaccine heading here from Aussie labs. Maybe people in Joe Wilson's state can develop their own. It's bloody frustrating, I'll tell you that much.

Edited September 12, 2009 by Booyah!

[Donna A 4]

Will Donna yell... YOU LIE too??

they are only letting 700 in and by invitation only. something tells me i wont be invited.

[thepizzadude 26]

Will Donna yell... YOU LIE too??

they are only letting 700 in and by invitation only. something tells me i wont be invited.

Strap on a gat and crash the party...

[HAL 9000 96]

Will Donna yell... YOU LIE too??

they are only letting 700 in and by invitation only. something tells me i wont be invited.

Owwww I hope you got one then!

[Joseph & Ana 0]

No sampling information so you're taking the poll by faith.

[HAL 9000 96]

Yawn

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

How about Rasmussen - you folks like the daily tracking poll so much. Or maybe not so much anymore ever since the number inches back to zero. I remember seeing these things daily when the index slipped and now that it shows gains, it's apparently not interesting anymore.

On health care reform, Rasmussen shows the same gain in support as the poll I quoted earlier.

Support for the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats continues to grow following the president's speech to Congress last Wednesday night. It has now risen to the highest level yet measured, and, for the first time, shows a slight uptick in support among Republicans and voters not affiliated with either party.

Fifty-one percent (51%) of all voters nationwide now favor the plan while 46% are opposed. In June, as the public debate was just beginning, 50% favored the plan and 45% were opposed.

Support for the plan fell over the summer and reached a point where 53% of voters opposed it. However, in the days following the president’s speech, support for the plan has been moving up on a fairly consistent basis.

Edited September 14, 2009 by Mr. Big Dog

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

No sampling information so you're taking the poll by faith.

You haven't read the poll.