* With the electric rate deal in sight, the push is on for the governor’s health insurance plan. It’s being reworked at the moment (some details are in today’s Capitol Fax), but Cindy Richards has details about a new poll…
llinois legislators like to say they aren’t jumping on the governor’s health care bandwagon because their constituents haven’t demanded they get on board.
Perhaps few of us are calling our legislators. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t worried about ever-rising health care premiums and co-pays. Or concerned the insurance we get from our employers today might be gone tomorrow. Or afraid a major medical expense will leave us bankrupt.
At least that’s what a poll of likely Illinois voters suggests. The poll, to be released today, says the rising cost of health care is the No. 1 concern of Illinois voters. […]
His plan would cap premium rates charged by private insurance companies. In return, the state would use taxpayer money — now likely to be gathered via an assessment on employers that don’t offer health insurance to their workers — to cap insurers’ costs for catastrophic medical claims. That means basic medical care would be paid by the insurance companies, but when your mom has a stroke and racks up $1 million in medical bills, private insurers would be on the hook only for a portion of that.
Sadly, the governor’s office has bungled the press and politics on this so badly that its future remains very much in doubt. […]
85 percent — Democrats, Republicans and Independents — said health care reform is the most important issue facing legislators in this never-ending session.
The pollster’s executive summary is below…
* Rising health care costs are now the top economic concern in Illinois. The
issue of rising health care costs (33%) trumps rising gas prices (17%), higher taxes (16%), and a secure retirement (10%). Rising health care costs are the biggest concern for Democrats (36%), Republicans (27%), and Independents (37%).
* Illinois voters rate health care reform as the most important issue facing the legislature during the extended session. Health care reform is rated as an important issue during the extended session by 85% of voters (48% Extremely important) – more than the 80% who rate Education as important (40% very important). Again, this extends across party lines.
* Voters support the Illinois Covered proposal by a margin better than 3-to-1. Illinois Covered is one of the most strongly supported plans we have ever tested, with 79% of voters initially in favor (52% strongly in favor) and only 13% opposed (6% strongly). This support holds even after batteries of supportive messages about benefits of the plan (such as decreased emergency room costs and future savings reaped from investments now) and opposition attacks (such as multi-billion dollar tax increases and an increase in illegal immigration). After messaging 75% support and 17% oppose.
* Voters in every region of the state support this reform. Support is strong in Northern Illinois (80%), Central Illinois (73%), Southern Illinois (72%), and especially strong in Chicago (88%) and suburban Cook County (84%).
* Illinois voters want their legislators not just to support, but to lead the fight for this reform. Fifty-five percent of voters say they would be more likely to re-elect their legislator (32% much more likely) if he or she supported Illinois Covered. Again, this holds in all regions, with voters in every region of the state more likely to re-elect their legislator by better than a 3-to-1 margin. The numbers look even better for legislators who take a leading role in advocating for Illinois Covered. Fifty-seven percent of voters would be more likely to re-elect their legislator (35% much more likely) if he or she led the fight for Illinois Covered.
The survey was conducted among 600 likely 2008 general election voters in Illinois, June 24-28, 2007. The margin of error is +/- 4.0%. The Celinda Lake poll was commissioned by America’s Agenda Health Care Fund, AARP, AFL-CIO, and the Campaign for Better Health Care. I hope to have more detailed results for subscribers later today.
* More…
* Mandated state health care: Pro vs. Con