Senate Health Care Debate Begins; Polls Show Support Slipping
Nov. 30, 2009 – Members of the U.S. Senate today began the opening jabs of a contentious debate on national health care reform as yet another major public opinion poll shows declining support for federal lawmakers’ efforts to reform the nation’s $2.5 trillion-a-year health care industry.
While the Senate debate is scheduled to last until Dec. 18, several Capitol Hill pundits anticipate eroding public support could push the debate into next year. Gallup today released results of its national telephone survey of 1,017 adults conducted Nov. 20-22, and a plurality indicated they would “advise” their respective representatives in Congress to vote against a health care reform measure while 44 percent indicated they would advise voting for reform.
Even fewer want federal lawmakers to take action this year. Only 35 percent of those surveyed said they favor voting on health care reform this year while 42 percent said they prefer Capitol Hill lawmakers take more time before enacting major legislation that won’t take effect for several years.
Gallup’s polling results corroborate similar recent findings by Rasmussen Reports, which last week reported some 56 percent of those polled oppose federal health care reform efforts while only 38 percent indicated support. The support of federal efforts hadn’t dipped below 41 percent in prior weekly polling, according to Rasmussen Reports.
The recent Rasmussen survey also indicates most people don’t think reform efforts will help. Some 54 percent of those polled said the Senate and House bills would harm and not help health care, and 60 percent said the federal legislation likely would increase costs for everyone. Only 16 percent of those polled believe Congressional reform efforts will lower costs.
The Senate’s proposal requires all American citizens purchase health insurance and creates regional insurance exchanges where individuals can shop for health insurance coverage tailored to more specific needs. People earning too little to afford health insurance would receive federal subsidies to purchase coverage.
The Senate bill also creates a federal health insurance option in which state legislatures would choose to participate and prevent health insurance companies from refusing coverage to individuals with pre-existing health problems. Some 17 new taxes have been proposed to pay for the estimated $849 billion cost of initiating the Senate plan over a 10-year period.
While Senate Democrats needed 60 votes to advance the measure to a floor debate, independent Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut – who sits with the Democratic Caucus – has said he would oppose the Senate version even though he voted to allow the floor debate.
Lieberman, who was Democrat John Kerry’s running mate during the 2004 presidential election, opposes a public option as provided in the Senate bill and earlier announced he would filibuster the measure unless amended to remove the public plan proposed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada). Lieberman says a public option would drive up costs for people with health insurance. Reid contends states would have the option of whether or not to participate in the proposed federal health care option.
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