The federal government should allow states to experiment with single-payer health care if their voters choose to do so. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

If the federal government began taxing employer-provided health insurance, would that lead employers to cut benefits? Very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, not at all likely, don’t know/refused

American Businesses would be more competitive if there were a single source paying all health care costs.
Very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, not at all likely, don’t know/refused

If a tax on worker benefits collects more money than is used for subsidies to help lower-income people buy insurance, the amount left over should be spent on other things like wars and tax cuts for the rich. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Some of the more significant influences on the current health care reform have been the unpublicized “deals” concluded early on by the Administration and leading members of Congress with stakeholders such as PhARMA, doctors, hospitals, etc. This important new aspect of civics should be taught in our schools. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Families who are forced into bankruptcy due to catastrophic medical bills should be exempt from the very strict bankruptcy law Congress passed in 2005. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

I like that one.

If a health care reform bill similar to those currently under consideration is passed,
how likely will you be to contribute to the DNC, DSCC or DCCC in 2010?
Very likely, somewhat likely, somewhat unlikely, very unlikely.

It is concerning that premium subsidies are not designed to keep up with rising health care costs. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

You’re driving at a good point, language a bit wonky.

If employers pay a fine for each full-time (40 hour) worker who receives government insurance subsidies, many of them will simply cut work hours to avoid the fine. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Now that the Health Care Reform legislation has been torpedoed by the President by his non-support of a Public Option, do you believe he should be publicly laughed out of office in 2009 ?

Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Definitely a question about mandates….haven’t got it yet.

That’s great…is there a way to measure the laugh meter?

As President Obama finished his speech to the Democratic caucus in the Capitol’s Mansfield Room on Sunday afternoon, Joe Lieberman made his way over to Harry Reid.

The independent who still caucuses with Democrats wanted to point something out to the Majority Leader: Obama didn’t mention the public option.

reid’s bill deep-sixes the extension of COBRA in the House bill.

The HOUSE bill permits anyone on COBRA or state-extension of COBRA to continue on their group-rate insurance plan (of course the individual has to pay the premium) until the exchanges start.

That is a huge benefit that is COST FREE for the government because it allows the unemployed, who include many over 50 who CANNOT get insurance in the marketplace because of pre-existing conditions–such as being on a prescription maintenance medicine for a chronic condition, to continue coverage.

This is a very important issue. See section 113 of the HOUSE bill.

If congress begins reforming health care for a nation which is worst among industrialized countries in both infant mortality and life expectancy while being the most expensive in the world, shouldn’t a bill which will not move us into say 30th or better in the world or second most expensive be flatly rejected?

Should passing something which makes cost of pharmaceuticals and mandated private insurance worse be called a victory?

Should the rich pay more in taxation than poor or middle income folk for a national health care plan?

Should every business owner be expected to have the equivalent of a masters degree in fine print insurance policies?

I’d like to see a followup question that could clarify why people are against the current plan

Something like
Do you oppose the current bill because
it is too ambitious, afraid of change
it is too watered down, not enough change

or something along those lines

Members of Congress should have no better insurance plans than the worst available plans offered in their home states or congressional district.
Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

The Senate bill should have a COBRA extension provision similar to the one in the House, which permits the unemployed to continue on their group coverage until the public exchange is available.
agree
strongly agree
disagree
strongly disagree

Should the reform package include provisions to speed up availability of generic alternatives to expensive name brand drugs?

Harry Reid should continue as Senate majority leader if he cannot pass health care reform with a strong public option. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

When Harry Reid said, “Joe Lieberman is the least of Harry Reid’s problems” he was thinking to himself, “Jane Hamsher is my biggest problem.” Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Any Democratic Senator who filibusters the Health Care reform because of a Public Option being included should lose all seniority and chairman or leadership positions.
Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Yeah it’s in the mandate, definitely, but I’ve been struggling with the same wording problem.

u funny

Here are my 3:

1. If the legislation does not make you personally eligible to sign up for a public plan, health care reform will be insufficient. Agree, disagree, etc…

2. It’s more important that the public plan be available as soon as possible rather than phasing it in gradually starting in 2013. Agree, disagree, etc.

3. I would prefer that my employer (or self if self-employed) provide me with a check for their contribution to my insurance and allow me to choose my own plan on the exchange between public and private. Agree, disagree, etc.

I also don’t like the phrasing of the Reid question, since I believe it is somewhat misrepresentative of the history and overly personal, especially since most voters have very flimsy notions of who Reid is, as Peter Hart’s recent focus group showed. Instead, I think a MUCH MORE VALUABLE question would be:

4. 56 of 60 Senate Democrats support a public option, but the last 4 are demanding the public option be vastly scaled back before they consider allowing the rest to vote on it. If the Senate Democratic leadership had acted forcefully, they could have gotten a public option, so if there isn’t a public option, it shows they are not leaders. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

ROFLMAO

By what Constitutional authority can the Congress and the White House mandate it’s citizens participation in a government-run Health Care system?

Is the goal: To have readily accessible, high quality health care and prevention made affordable for all in America? Strongly Agree,Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree
Do we leave anyone out? Does anyone have to pay more?

Do you support Harry Reid’s position on this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7mRSI8yWwg

The Senate should always operate under majority rule: Agree, disagree, etc.

Republicans don’t have an actual plan to get America off the dangerous health care status quo; the GOP are the party of “NO:” Agree, disagree, etc.

Democratic Senators who vote with the GOP to block consideration of health care reform (support a filibuster) should lose their leadership positions like committee and subcommittee chairs: Agree, disagree, etc.

I would rather have a Republican in office than a Democratic Senator who votes with the GOP to block procedural consideration of the President’s agenda: Agree, disagree, etc.

Democratic Senators who vote with Republicans to procedurally block consideration of health care reform shouldn’t get support from the DNC and DSCC in their next election: Agree, disagree, etc.

I know what the Democratic Party stands for. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

I would rather vote for a candidate who has principles I disagree with than one without principles. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

!. With so many Americans supporting and pushing for a single payer system why is it that the Democrats started by pushing for a public option instead of negotiating from the single payer position? Is as Howard Dean suggested at the NN09 in Pittsburgh “that the Dems are hung over and beat up from the previous eight years of the Bush administration”

2. During the Senate Hearing that I attended about health care reform. this was the hearing where it was voted out of committee. Senator Snowed stated that there “have been decades of inaction” in regard to reform. Based on this being a solid fact. Why would Senator Snowe or any of the Dems supporting the Public option give the Insurance companies the “trigger” option to do the right thing now? They have had decades to to do the right thing.

3. I have spent the last two years in many nursing homes the last two years. I have talked with many of seniors who have had their physical therapy needs cut off by private insurance companies on a routine basis.

My father is with “UN” Secure Horizons/United Health and I have done battle with “Un” Secure Horizons often pushing, challenging so that my 81 year old WWII, retired Teamster father could have his needs met. But I have met dozens of our seniors who did not have advocates and were shut off from their needs being met due to fine print issues.

How will this new Health care reform package clean up the private insurance abuses in regard to cutting off our seniors physical therapy needs because they have reached what the industry calls “plateaus”?

4. 56 of 60 Senate Democrats support a public option, but the last 4 are demanding the public option be vastly scaled back before they consider allowing the rest to vote on it. If the Senate Democratic leadership had acted forcefully, they could have gotten a public option, so if there isn’t a public option, it shows they are not leaders. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Maybe this can be simplified and generalized:

If Senate Democratic leadership is unable to get members of the Democratic Party in the Senate to vote in favor of beginning debate on important issues like health care reform or is unable to get members of the Democratic Party in the Senate to vote in favor of allowing the full Senate to vote up-or-down on important issues like health care reform, then the Senate Democratic leadership is ineffective and needs to be changed.

Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

—

Jane, I’m sure you’ve thought about conducting scientific polling. What would that take?

Book Salon up at the Mothership with James Hoggan’s Climate Cover-Up: The Crusade to Deny Global Warming hosted by Tim Lambert

Since that is not even remotely what’s being discussed you can feel free to take your corporate talking points somewhere else.

The actual question would be:

Where does government get off mandating that people pay into a private for-profit insurance system that maximizes profits by killing people?

But that’s not the sort of question you’ll find in your scripted corporate talking points, so…

Blue Dog Democrats in the House raised the price of a public option by tying rates to negotiated rates instead of to Medicare Rates plus five percent as planned. This results in increased premium costs in any public option and seriously interferes with making the public option affordable. Some people think that the Blue Dogs should not be rewarded for undermining reform by receiving campaign funds from Democrats and from the DCCC. Do you agree with this, disagree with this, or just aren’t sure what to answer?

I think your wording is much more complicated. Anyway, people don’t generally support forcing every member to vote with their party as yours suggest. What I think they would support is at least allowing the rest to vote if they find out that 56 Senators are on board but 4 have the ability to stop the rest from even voting- we’ve all known that fact for months but many in the general public don’t.

If there were no public option offered and you were mandated to buy private insurance from an exchange similar to the Massachusetts model, would you prefer to A) purchase a private insurance policy from the exchange, B) pay a penalty of $X.00 dollars, C) Not sure, I’d have to talk to someone and get more information.

In all honesty the corporations said Fuck no! and the Dem “leadership” bowed their heads in acquiescence.

That’s the whole story… and it will still be the whole story when this crap is passed.

All else is kabuki for your entertainment and nothing more.

Question:

No HCR bill should be adopted that mandates everyone to buy health insurance and has no public option alternative, as this is will further increase the profits of private health insurers. Strongly agree, agree, disagree.

Now this will be America under the Far-Leftists Government-Run health care:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grbSQ6O6kbs

1. Health care reform should ensure that the federal government is authorized to negotiate drug prices with the pharmaceutical companies on behalf of all government-operated programs: strongly agree, etc.
2. No American should be without affordable health insurance because of an existing medical condition: strongly agree, etc.
3. It is wrong for companies to make huge profits at the expense of sick people: strongly agree, etc.

That’s about it…..

1. When insurance rules are complicated, do you believe you have a fair chance for affordable justice against a big insurance company? yes, completely!, …, NFW you idiot!

2. IF you lost your job tomorrow, do you have 2 years of health insurance premiums and expenses in the bank to cover your health insurance premiums and health care expenses. yes, no, more than enough.

3. the united states pays 50% more for health care than other industrialized nations, the big insurance companies and big drug companies blame the government, do you agree with the big companies? strongly agree, agree, …, NFW you idiot!

rmm.

If the bill out of the Senate turns out to be a walked-back, no public option, stripped down, weakened version of the House bill, how convinced will you be that the Democrat Senators are corporate zombies who have obeyed the instructions of a failed, corporately owned, Democrat President? 1)Very much convinced, 2)somewhat convinced, 3) Not convinced cause this could be 11th dimensional chess playing in a parallel universe and this will all work out in the end and all my wishes will come true./s

People should be legally required to buy insurance even if the only plan they can afford has a $6000 deductible. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Why didn’t President Obama discuss the Public Option when he met with senators today? (Not a real question, but this isn’t mentioned in any article here yet).

Closer to your original question and, hopefully, better than my last suggestion @ 35:

If the Senate Democratic leadership cannot stop 4 out of 60 Democratic senators from blocking the full Senate from voting up-or-down on health care reform unless a public health insurance option is eliminated from the Senate’s health care bill, then the Senate Democratic leadership has failed and needs to be changed. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

I realized that my wording @ 35 was not an improvement. Tried again @ 50.

Everyone who has employer-provided health benefits has an income over $250,000 so taxing these benefits won’t violate Obama’s pledge not to raise taxes on the middle class. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

HCR should be paid for by:
a] Taxing health care benefit packages to the extent such benefit packages cost more than 75% of the cost of Senators health care benefit packages;
b] Taxing all unearned income at a rate of 1.45% to the extent it exceeeds
$50K in any calendar year;
c]Taxing all earned income exceeding the social security maximum [currently $106,900] at a rate of 3.1%; or
d]All of the above.

I think we’re narrowing down on it…how about:

If 4 Senate Democrats who are against the public option can’t be convinced to allow the other 56 Democratic Senators who support the public option a chance to vote on it, then the Senate Democratic leadership has failed and needs to be changed. Agree, disagree, etc.

Having thought about questions, I’ve looked again at Jane’s.

If there was a government-administered public plan offered, how likely would you be to look into purchasing it as a health insurance option for your own family? Somewhat likely, very likely, not too likely, not at all likely, don’t know/refused.

Maybe change “look into purchasing it” to “consider purchasing it,” as the latter does not imply an intention to purchase it, but only to consider it as a possibility.

If Harry Reid had acted forcefully, he could have gotten a public option, so if there isn’t a public option, it shows he is not a leader. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Jane’s phrasing of this question is the best I’ve seen and/or suggested, but in light of mikesong’s concern @ 27, how about:

If the Senate Democratic leadership had acted forcefully, there would be a public option, so if there isn’t a public option, the Senate Democratic leadership failed and needs to be changed. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Access to health care is a human right, not an economic good. strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or no opinion

How about simply do you prefer the House pay-for or the Senate’s? I.E.

Is it better to pay for health care reform with a surtax on income above $500,000 or by taxing expensive health care plans?

Income surtax, “Cadillac plan” tax, or some of both?

Dude, it’s old. You keep re-linking that. We got it.

I think it’s called “one-trick pony”

It’s not even phoning it in… it’s just grabbing its payoff for continued repetition of the same old discredited corporate talking points.

Question: at what particular point do you call it spam?

You’re phrasing in this comment might be the best. I think we should leave it to others to make the final decision.

By what Constitutional authority can the Congress and the White House mandate it’s citizens participation in a government-run Health Care system?

The 3rd paragraph of Section 8 of Article I of the Constitution and the 14th Amendment to tbe Constitution grant Congress this authority.

The President does not have this authority, but pursuant to Section 3 of Article II of the Constitution is required to take care that the laws are faithfully executed.

Would you support a Bill with a Trigger that kicks in after One Year if more than (pick a number) 15 Millions citizens have no coverage? And if triggered the Public Option would be offered to all citizens and it would be based it on Medicare/VA systems?

Yes…
No…
Maybe…

As part of health care reform, do you think the age one can receive Medicare should be lowered to 55? Strongly agree, etc…

Are you in favor of the healthcare insurance reform bills currently before the House and the Senate? Yes/No If not, why not:
a) I would prefer a single payer system
b) the current health care is acceptable and does not need to be reformed
c) the public option is not strong enough to be competitive and help keep prices down
d) the government should get completely out of the health insurance business
d) other (please state)

If no healthcare insurance reform is passed by Congress do you expect your healthcare premiums to increase, decrease, remain about the same

Five years ago the cost of my healthcare compared to today was less, much less, more, much more, about the same

Five years ago my the coverage my plan gave me was better, worse, about the same

Five years from now I expect my healthcare costs to be higher, lower, about the same

Got some more:

1. If the Democrats abandoned the public option in order to get the support of one Republican such as Olympia Snowe, would that be a good or bad thing?

2. If in the end 59 Democrats vote for health care reform and one Republican joins them, would you consider it a bipartisan bill, a Democrat bill, or would that have no effect on your opinion of the legislation. Basically bipartisan, somewhat more bipartisan, have no effect on my opinion, somewhat more of a Democrat bill, basically a Democrat bill.

3. If health care reform passes with a public option, would that make you more or less likely to vote for Democrats in 2010?

4. If health care reform passes without a public option, would that make you more or less likely to vote for Democrats in 2010?

5. If the Democrats pass health care reform with reconciliation – a procedure requiring 50 votes instead of 60 that has been used to pass highly contested legislation such as the 3 Bush tax cuts, would that be a good thing or a bad thing?

My news and information sources have kept me well-informed and explained all the important issues. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

My elected members of Congress have kept me well-informed and explained all the important issues. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

My local and state elected officials have kept me well-informed and explained all the important issues. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Do you think passage of the health care bill will help you?

If so, in

1 yr

3 yrs

5yrs

more

/s: The Public Option should be made part of the NAFTA treaty and include opt-in dual citizenship with Canada. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

The government should force people to buy health insurance from a few big corporations, and the IRS should penalize those Americans who don’t wish to be their customers.
Do you: Strongly agree, Agree, etc…

Q. Roland Burris (D-IL) has been quoted as saying

“My position has not changed at all. I’ve compromised from a single payer, to a strong public option with Medicare plus five, to now a negotiated bill with an opt out. So I’ve made my moves. I sent word, some time ago, back to the president that if the bill comes up and they need sixty votes and there’s not a public option in it, it’s always been my position that I would not support a bill that does not have a public option in it.”

How does this make you feel about supporting Sen. Burris in any future campaign?
More likely, somewhat more likely, somewhat less likely, or less likely.

Oooh, that’s a good one.

During the 2008 campaign Obama was being naive in putting forth his health care agenda.
During the 2008 campaign Obama was being duplicitous in putting forth his health care agenda

If a health care insurance bill is passed into law and is also mandated, that does not contain a robust and affordable public option, will you refuse to purchase any insurance?

Yes, no, don’t know.

When talking about choice, I prefer a real choice of seeing any doctor and using any hospital even if the bill is paid by a government run insurance company. Strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

late to the thread, haven’t read the comments but I have a question I think the poll would reflect very nicely;

“do you think it’s good or bad that america is the only industrial nation that does not have public health care”

Just got here, and didn’t read all these responses, so chances are it’s already there. On the miniscule chance it isn’t, I’ll say it here.

Healthcare should be a right to all Americans and free at point of service (meaning paid for through taxes), just like education in our public schools.

a)Strongly Agree
b)Somewhat Agree
c)Somewhat Disagree
d)Strongly Disagree
e)No Opinion.

I’ll answer A please!!

If in the end 59 Democrats vote for health care reform and one Republican joins them, would you consider it a bipartisan bill, a Democrat bill, or would that have no effect on your opinion of the legislation.

Could we add a “do you give a fuck [whether a bill is 'bi-partisan']” option?

LOL…that’s what I’m trying to get at and I think my question might produce the answers we’re looking for. It’s a delicate dance – we have to explain the situation to get the answer we want, without making the question leading in any way or else it’s not going to matter much to anyone except us. On the other hand, you can’t make the question too open-ended – do you care if this bill is bipartisan – because too many people would say they value bipartisanship in theory when in reality this bill will garner token bipartisanship at best.

Actually, even that’s optimistic: I totally expect that if Snowe is the only Republican to sign on, she’ll be a Democrat a la Specter by the next morning. The polls say she’ll lose a Republican primary now, before she’s even taken the vote. At least that likelihood weakens the rationale for Obama’s desire to pretend to be bipartisan.

How about: Premium subsidies should be designed to keep up with rising health care costs. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

4. 56 of 60 Senate Democrats support a public option, 4 refuse. Those 4 should support the 56. Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Wicked funny!

The “subsidy” should be immediately given to an insured’s chosen company or the exchange in lieu of the recipient having to pay their premiums in advance and then file a federal tax form a year later asking for the tax credit. Agree, Disagree, etc.

By what Constitutional authority can the Congress and the White House mandate it’s citizens participation in a government-run Health Care system?

I see that as the General Welfare. My question was By what Constitutional authority can the Congress and the White House mandate it’s citizens participation in a privately owned for-profit Health Care system?

Risk Spreading is seen as one of, if not the most, important neccessity for universal coverage since it affects people who often have the most difficulty affording coverage. In Europe small risk subsidies are given so that all premiums are the same and so that the government, rather than other insureds pay the cost of it. In Vermont no policy may cost more than 20% more based on risk. In the HCR bills no policy may cost more than 200% more for risk. In Vermont and the HCR bills other insureds can be assumed to pay the cost of risk spreading. Do you support a) the European plan, b) the Vermont plan or c) the HCR plan ?

Health insurance companies in the US are in business to make a profit. Health care provided through these insurance companies is compatible with the values of the citizens of the United States. Agree disagree etc.

My employer provides health insurance to employees and their families. I am aware of the increasing cost of health insurance because it is reflected in my paycheck and/or because the cost of my payments is rising.

I or someone I know has lost coverage due to chronic or major illness or been denied coverage for medical procedures ordered by a health care provider.

Bills moving through Congress mandate insurance companies to cover more procedures or disallow insurance companies from dropping people with difficult or chronic medical problems. At the same time, the Congress will require everyone to buy medical insurance coverage. There is no assurance that insurance companies will not raise rates on everyone to meet increased costs. I agree strongly, etc.

I or someone I know who has had medical insurance coverage has been forced into bankruptcy and/or lost their home due to high medical costs.

I know someone who delayed treatment or died as the result of a lack of medical insurance coverage.

I or someone I know has their coverage through Medicare. I would like to have Medicare for (myself or) others in my family, but we do not have a disability or meet the age requirement.

Without a single payer system like Medicare for all, a strong public option is the best hope we have to control rising medical costs.

Sorry, I tried to edit one thing and cannot separate the statements in edit. Here they are again:

Health insurance companies in the US are in business to make a profit. Health care provided through these insurance companies is compatible with the values of the citizens of the United States. Agree disagree etc.

My employer provides health insurance to employees and their families. I am aware of the increasing cost of health insurance because it is reflected in my paycheck and/or because the cost of my payments is rising. Agree/ etc

I or someone I know has lost coverage due to chronic or major illness or been denied coverage for medical procedures ordered by a health care provider. Agree, etc

Bills moving through Congress mandate insurance companies to cover more procedures or disallow insurance companies from dropping people with difficult or chronic medical problems. At the same time, the Congress will require everyone to buy medical insurance coverage. There is no assurance that insurance companies will not raise rates on everyone to meet increased costs. I agree strongly, etc.

I or someone I know who has had medical insurance coverage has been forced into bankruptcy and/or lost their home due to high medical costs. Agree, etc.

I know someone who delayed treatment or died as the result of a lack of medical insurance coverage.Agree, etc.

I or someone I know has their coverage through Medicare. I would like to have Medicare for (myself or) others in my family, but we do not have a disability or meet the age requirement.Agree, etc.

Without a single payer system like Medicare for all, a strong public option is the best hope we have to control rising medical costs. Agree, etc.

what’s with the ties? I thought it was a goof at first, but then it is LV maybe?

Anyway, Harry…. framing is the name of the game, I guess. You say loopholes and I say incentives. And when someone asks a clear question keep squinting and saying, “I don’t know what you are trying to say.”

Yay!

This and 86 are excellent points.

1- The Health Care bill should include a cap on the amount of increase monthly premiums can be raised to be no higher than 3% per year.
(Do you strongly agree, slightly agree, slightly disagree, strongly disagree. -repeated after each question-)

2- Most of the value has been stripped from the Public Auction, therefore we should remove it AND the Mandate to purchase insurance from the bill. New rules on insurance companies could then be passed at no cost to the federal government.

3- Changing the rules so insurance could be bought across state lines would result in all insurance companies operating at the lowest level of regulatory enforcement of all the states. We should not change the rules allowing purchasing insurance across state lines.

4- Insurance premiums have doubled or worse over the past decade. A high percentage of citizens now insured, will no longer be able to carry insurance a decade from now after their monthly premium doubles again.

5- All members of congress should have to purchase their own health insurance plans as individuals with their own money until there is a government run plan that allows anyone to join, with subsidies for low income citizens.

Why is it more important to worry about Insurance corporations rather than the working people who provide their profits?

A. Because you can
B. Corporations are funding your re-election campaign.
C. You are not in Washington to worry about the lives of real people.
D. All of the above.

Only the rich should be allowed to see doctors.
The rest of us should be ground up into soylent green or soylent red.

Yea buddy
Huh?
Fuck that where are the pitchforks.

Last one for me:

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that under the proposed rules for who’s permitted to sign up for the public option, it will have between 3 and 6 million members. Do you feel that more people should be allowed to sign up for the public option, fewer, or 3 to 6 million sounds about right?

[Agreeing with/building on David Kaib's question @ 33:]

Question: The party platform, or purpose, of the national Democratic Party is clear to me, and House and Senate Democrats honor it in practice.
Agree
Disagree
Don’t Know

[Agreeing with/building on Sundogged's question @ 5:]

Question: If President Obama applies pressure on Congressional Democrats to support a deal he negotiated with drug companies, but Congress prefers to make prescription drugs cheaper for Americans by breaking that deal, should Democrats in Congress ignore the President’s pressure?
Yes
No
Don’t Know

Question: When a minority of Senators want more time to debate, or simply object to holding a vote on pending legislation, should they be forced to publicly object and filibuster on the Senate floor, even if that requires the suspension of all other business in the Senate for days, and inconveniences members of the majority?
Yes
No
Don’t Know

Question: Is Medicare a government-run health insurance program?
Yes
No
Don’t Know

Question: Medicare should be the model for federal health insurance reform efforts.
Agree
Disagree
Don’t Know

Question: Medicare is the model for the current federal health insurance reform bills under debate in the House and Senate.
Yes
No
Don’t Know

[Agreeing with/building on a mikesong question @ 27:]

Question: Health insurance reform should be implemented as soon as possible, even if that will increase the federal deficit in the short-term.
Agree
Disagree
Don’t Know

Question: If pending federal health insurance reform benefits will increase the federal deficit over the next ten years, implementation should be delayed until they are deficit-neutral, even if it takes several years.
Agree
Disagree
Don’t Know

[Agreeing with/building on gamd521's question @ 42:]

Question: Is a federal mandate, subsidized by taxpayers and enforced by the IRS, that requires uninsured Americans to purchase a health insurance policy from an existing for-profit health insurance company a good idea?
Yes
No
[Hell No]
Don’t Know

Question: Is a federal mandate, subsidized by taxpayers and enforced by the IRS, that requires uninsured Americans to purchase a health insurance policy from a non-profit, government-run (“public option”) health insurance plan a good idea?
Yes
No
Don’t Know

Question: Is a federal mandate, subsidized by taxpayers and enforced by the IRS, that requires uninsured Americans to purchase health insurance policies – from existing for-profit health insurers, or, if desired, from a non-profit, government-run “public option” insurer for about 10% of them, if pre-qualified – a good idea?
Yes
No
Don’t Know

Question: Do you think that the health insurance reform legislation pending in Congress would be more generous to the American people if campaigns for Congressional office were publicly financed?
Yes
No
Don’t Know

Question: Would you support reducing the power of corporate lobbyists in Washington by the passage of legislation creating, and funding with tax revenues, publicly-financed Congressional election campaigns?
Yes
No
Don’t Know

Finally, I agree with Knoxville @ 61, that mikesong’s revised version @ 54 is best:

If 4 Senate Democrats who are against the public option [won't help stop a filibuster to] allow the other 56 Democratic Senators who support the public option a chance to vote on it, then the Senate Democratic leadership has failed and needs to be changed. Agree, disagree, etc.

I like the three option response rather than the five. Simpler for everyone, and forces respondents to be more honest.

And will be heard more clearly by the senators.

Question: It is more important that President Obama get credit for signing a health care reform bill early next year, even if most of it won’t go into effect for another four years, than that Congress work longer now to strengthen and improve the bill, by adding provisions to force down the rising costs of our health care system, and by carefully searching for unintended consequences in the many complex new federal programs.
Agree
Strongly Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
No Opinion

P.S. I agree, I think, Loo Hoo @ 97. This more-partisan question I’m tacking on, though, seemed to call for “strongly” categories to me (probably because of my own bias) – but “Agree, Disagree, No Opinion” is probably enough.

Don’t like this at all. Harper would turn this around and have Canada’s health care system privatized. No snark intended.

Wait, I think I was confused. Is this going to be a comissioned public poll, a la Daily Kos/Research 2000, where we try to influence the national debate? That’s what all my questions were geared towards. Or will this just be a poll amongst us to see what we all think? I hope not because I think we all know the answer to that!

a)Strongly Agree
b)Somewhat Agree
c)Somewhat Disagree
d)Strongly Disagree
e)No Opinion.

1) Term limits should be extended and Congresspersons and Senators will be allowed one long term. No next campaign or term or need for financing.

2) Congress should share the same public option plan with the public.

3) Medicare will be profoundly damaged with this coming health care bill

4) The majority of citizens feel entitled to universal health care for all.

5) Cadillac plans should be taxed to help sustain this plan.

6) Insurance and Pharma companies are too big to fail at this point.

7) Do you believe in strong patent protection for drug companies for a 12 year period?

8) Spouses of candidates who are offered consultant or board membership on lobby-affiliated industries should be vetted by a citizens’ arbitration.

9) The House Bill provides coverage for 94% of the American population.

10) The impending bill will be a financial bonanza for both insurance and drug companies.

11) There will be an anti-abortion provision in the final bill.

12) Obama made deals for health care votes over his Afghanistan choices.

13) Illegal immigrants will be provided with affordable and humane options in the new bill.

14) There will be far fewer tests for diseases due to austerity.

15) Doctors who participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs will have their pay significantly lessened.

16) There will be significantly less provisions for mental health therapy, and the focus will be on providing psychotropic drugs.

17) A portable, non-employer-linked plan would be far more sensible, just and less interruptive in this day and age.

19) Rehabilitation programs will be greatly reduced with the coming bill.

20) Civil disobedience demonstrations of single payer advocates are effective.

Rather than the public option in its currently proposed form, I would rather have an option like the Federal Employees have, where a wide variety of private insurers compete with each other for customers, who must choose one of the plans but cannot be turned down by any of the plans.
Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree or have no opinion?

Q: Do you feel that support of any particular Senator is a necessity for an acceptable health care bill?

Q: Is the support of Nelson, Lieberman, Landrieu, and Lincoln, a necessity for an acceptable health care bill? Same question with Sanders, Franken, Feingold, Rockefeller.

Q: Which is more important, a bill before Christmas passed with a filibuster proof majority, or a bill with a robust public option, which would likely require reconciliation to pass?

question for employees [including presently unemployed]:

Employees currently pay 1.45% of their wages/salary into Medicare [$725/year for someone making $50,000/year]. One proposal to provide guaranteed health care for everyone is to raise the Medicare tax to 6% [$3000/year, or $250/month, for someone making $50,000/year] and use this to pay all doctors, hospitals, clinics, etc. This would eliminate the need for you to pay insurance premiums, co-pays, or any other medical bills.

Would you prefer to:

– keep your present insurance and out-of-pocket payments
– pay the higher tax but not have to pay any other medical bills
– don’t know / no opinion

question for employers/benefits managers/etc:

One proposal to provide guaranteed health care for everyone is to raise the employer portion of the Medicare tax from 1.45% of payroll to 8% of payroll, eliminating the need for employers to provide health insurance for their employees [employers could still provide supplemental insurance as a benefit if they wanted].

Would you prefer to:

– keep the present system of employer-provided health insurance
– pay the higher Medicare tax and not provide health insurance [or only provide supplemental insurance] for your employees
– don’t know / no opinion

these are the tax numbers provided in anthony weiner’s proposed single payer amendment. i’d also like to see the questions repeated using the numbers provided in bernie sanders’ s703 and the numbers proposed by john conyers.

additionally, i’d like to see the answers cross-tabbed by income [employees] and company size [employers/benefits managers/etc].

alternatively, using most of the wording from a previous poll:

“Now I’m going to read you some different ways to increase the number of Americans covered by health insurance. As I read each one, please tell me whether you would favor it or oppose it. Here’s the (first/next) one: [See below.] Do you favor or oppose this?”

“Creating a government-administered public health insurance option to compete with private health insurance plans”

“Offering tax credits to help people buy private health insurance”

“Requiring employers to offer health insurance to their workers or pay money into a government fund that will pay to cover those without insurance”

“Expanding Medicare to cover everyone”

additionally, it would be cool to have the answers cross-tabbed by age and/or employment status and/or insurance status: employer-provided insurance, bought own insurance, medicare, medicaid, vha, tricare, ihs, schip, uninsured, combination of any of the above [have i missed any?]

If there is no strong public option or it is a set up to fail public option, will you not vote for democratic again, EVER! strongly agree, etc.

That’s how this lifelong democrat feels. If democrats can’t deliver on what they have been promising over 50 years with such huge majorities, because the president and democrat leadership can’t stand up to 4 democrats when all other democrats are on board, what’s the point of voting for them who can’t deliver! with everything going for them.

Should the government be required to exercise genuine and good faith negotiations to achieve the best return on investment of our combined purchasing power…
A) for the citizens benefit?
B) for the businesses profit?
C) both A and C.

If genuine and good faith negotiations have not taken place (ie.. back room deals), should a that contract for health services be mandated for either citizens or their employer?

Should the government be required to enter into genuine and good faith negotiations to achieve the best return on investment of our combined purchasing power…
A) for the citizens benefit?
B) for the businesses profit?
C) both A and C.

If genuine and good faith negotiations have not taken place (ie.. back room deals), should a that contract for health services be mandated for either citizens or their employer?

I think the only thing that will get rahm running white house’s attention is if they lost democratic votes next election and maybe for next 25 years for failure on healthcare. They think they can never lose democrats but you know I will just stay at home. That’s how important healthcare is to many of us. We delivered them white house and congress and now they want to back out and take the bribes instead and they sure are trying everything they can to make it fail and then say oh well, we tried.
sorry.
so, will you vote democratic in next election if you don’t have public option next year? strongly agree etc.

I think Rahm and everyone already went through your scenario in 1994 and are planning to do it different this time. You’re right, the next 25 years will go one way or another depending on if and what they pass.

… and because that immature asshole can’t accept reality and his part of the blame for what happened in 1994 he’s busy insuring that it will happen again.

And a “health” mandate to buy corporate crap coupled with a half-assed “jobs” bill that doesn’t dare spend any real money won’t save him….

… the question is: will he even notice reality this time around?

Are you in favor of the healthcare insurance reform bills currently before the House and the Senate? Yes/No If not, why not:
a) I would prefer a single payer system
b) the current health care is acceptable and does not need to be reformed
c) the public option is not strong enough to be competitive and help keep prices down
d) the government should get completely out of the health insurance business
d) other (please state)

I would add : I trust the Obama Administration to guide the legislation, and will ensure true health care reform.

——————–
one more…

Currently, reform isn’t possible due to regulatory capture of Congress by the Health services, insurance companies and their lobbyists.
T, F.

Medicare is a very popular and low-cost program that provides health care to seniors in the USA. An amendment has been added to the Senate health care bill to open up Medicare to all Americans. Do you think all Americans should be allowed to join Medicare?

Sorry, late. Dog was chewing my homework.

1. Any health care system that allows for generation of profits is bound to be gamed by administrators, care providers, or/and drug and equipment producers to the disadvantage of rate-payers: strongly agree, agree, not sure, disagree, strongly disagree.

2. The portion of premiums received that any private heath insurance company uses for administrative expenses and earns as profit (total) should be capped at: 3%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, no limit.

3. If a government-administered plan is created and access to it is phased in over the coming years, the latest that it should be opened to everybody — regardless of employer-provided plans, personal income, & other factors — is: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, later

1. It appears that most of you believe that if God had wanted everyone to have health care he/she/it would have made all of us rich. Is that what you folks ultimately believe? Sure seems like it.

2. Why are you so committed to protecting the profit margins of insurance companies? Do they own you?

Hmm! Good question. But isn’t that same question applicable to compelling every American to contribute to Medicare and Social Security? Or a national highway system or the Center for Disease Control?

Under what Constitutional authority? I’d suspect it’s the power to enact legislation to contribute to “the public welfare”.

But what I’d question is the governments power to enact legislation to compel people to purchase PRIVATE INSURANCE.