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Voters Back More Children's Health Care Spending

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Voters Back More Children's Health Care Spending 56 Practice Trends FAMILY P RACTICE N EWS • September 1, 2008 Voters Back More Children’s Health Care Spending BY AUDREY KUBETIN organization that commissioned the poll. support than that of heightened spending to another candidate. Editorial Intern The survey was conducted July 7-10, on Social Security (58%), Medicare (53%), The survey also found that voters are 2008, by Third Eye Strategies, a national farm programs (46%), homeland security largely uninformed about the presumptive early four out of five Americans public opinion research organization. Re- (37%), and the Iraq war (20%). nominees’ plans to address children’s planning to vote in the upcoming spondents were randomly selected from a Voters were also asked how the next health issues. When asked to describe Sen. Npresidential election are con- cluster sample provided by Survey Sam- president should prioritize efforts to ad- Obama’s strong points on issues involving cerned with issues related to children’s pling International. dress several contemporary issues, in- children and families, 34% of all voters health care, a nationwide telephone survey Voters were asked whether they would cluding children, tax cuts, and the federal could not respond or declined to do so. of 800 registered voters shows. increase or decrease federal spending on budget. A majority of all voters (57%) said When asked the same question of Sen. The survey found that 79% of voters fa- several programs and initiatives, including that investing in children’s health, educa- McCain, 48% of all voters could not or did vor increasing federal spending to provide Social Security, Medicare, and the Iraq tion, and safety should be a greater prior- not respond. health care to uninsured children. Support war. The issue of children’s health care ity than making tax cuts permanent, while “Senators McCain and Obama have a for this increased funding crossed party was the only one that earned support 49% of respondents said that investing in long way to go in satisfying voters with lines, finding approval among 93% of vot- from a majority of Sen. McCain’s sup- children is more important than balancing specific information about how their agen- ers supporting Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), porters, Sen. Obama’s supporters, and un- the budget. An additional 21% said that das will benefit children and families,” 60% of voters supporting Sen. John Mc- decided voters. both should be a priority. Mr. Petit said. Cain (R-Ariz.), and 77% of swing voters. Overall, 60% of voters would support For Mr. Petit, the results of the survey “Most voters have little idea where Sen- “I take away from this information that, increased spending on child abuse pre- highlight the importance of children’s ators McCain and Obama stand on chil- whatever their political persuasion, Amer- vention, while increased funding for health care in the 2008 presidential cam- dren’s issues. That lack of clarity needs to icans want more investments in their chil- prekindergarten education and after- paign, especially considering the current clear up because the stakes for America’s dren and grandchildren,” said Michael R. school programs found approval among closeness of the contest. The ECMEF poll children are huge.” Petit, president of the Every Child Matters 58% and 57% of respondents, respective- found that 14% of voters are undecided, The poll has an overall margin of er- Education Fund (ECMEF), said at a July 17 ly. The prospect of increasing funding for while 40% said that there is a small to fair ror of plus or minus 3.5 percentage teleconference. ECMEF is the nonprofit child-related programs garnered more chance that they might shift their support points. ■ Maneuvering Begins on Capitol Hill for Health Care Reform BY ALICIA AULT a rising star and has impeccable liberal credentials,” said a bill, as he is a member of two of the committees of ju- Associate Editor, Practice Trends Mr. Nichols. risdiction: finance and budget, said Mr. Nichols, adding In a paper published in the May/June 2008 issue of the that those committees, along with the Health, Education, emocrats and Republicans are so confident about the policy journal Health Affairs, Sen. Wyden and Sen. Ben- Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee “will play very Dchances of some type of health reform in the next ad- nett said they saw “signs of an ideological truce” on the important roles.” ministration that staff meetings and hearings geared to- Hill, with agreement that there is a need for the Demo- Ron Pollack, executive director of the advocacy group ward crafting legislation have been going on in earnest in cratic-backed universal coverage and the Republican- Families USA, said that although Sen. Wyden may play a both the House and the Senate, with the goal of being supported desire for market forces to promote competi- part, “I have little doubt that Sen. Baucus is going to be ready to go in January, according to advocates and policy tion and innovation. “The Healthy Americans Act strikes as instrumental in the process as anyone.” watchers. a balance between these ideals,” they wrote (Health Af- Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Finance Many health policy analysts have compared and con- fairs 2008;27:689-92). Committee, held a health care summit in mid-June. Staff trasted this election cycle with that of 1992, which sent The bill would require individuals to purchase insur- from the Finance Committee and the HELP Committee, Bill Clinton to the White House and launched the Clin- ance for themselves and their dependent children, and led by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), have been co- tons’ health care reform efforts. would require insurers to offer a prescribed package of ordinating meetings with those two panels and the Bud- Both elections—1992 and 2008—feature a high level of benefits. It would subsidize coverage for Americans with get Committee, Mr. Pollack said in an interview. public concern about access to health care and its costs, incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level. Em- Committee chairs have the greatest influence on the said Len Nichols, an analyst at the New America Foun- ployers would convert benefit dollars into salary; such legislative process, he said. Both Mr. Pollack and Mr. dation, a nonpartisan public policy institute. compensation would be tax free, with the goal that the Nichols also expect Sen. Kennedy to play a very signifi- For instance, a Harris Interactive survey conducted for money would be used to purchase coverage. cant part in creating the legislation, as much as his can- the Commonwealth Fund in May found that 82% of Sen. Wyden is likely to be front and center in crafting cer will allow. ■ Americans think the health care system should be fun- damentally changed or completely rebuilt. But the differences between the two elections are strik- They’rrrre Baaaaack! Harry and Louise Redux ing in a positive way, said Mr. Nichols, in an interview. First, the two major candidates themselves have ac- arry and Louise, ic conventions. knowledged that cost is an overriding concern, he said. Hwho became in- The ad featured Also, a common theme is the use of private markets, famous in a 1993- Harry and Louise, which he called “evidence, I would say, of moderation” 1994 television ad back at their kitchen and, perhaps, the proposals’ better legislative traction. lambasting the Clin- table. The characters Both candidates—Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Sen. ton administration’s were portrayed by John McCain (R-Ariz.)—have also learned that “no presi- health care reform IRST the same two actors, dent is going to send [to Congress] a 1,400-page health bill plan, were dragged F now 14 years older. ARE written in a hotel room by 300 wonks,” Mr. Nichols said. briefly out of moth- C Harry noted that Instead, “Congress is going to own this [effort] far ear- balls to appear in a health care costs are EALTH lier and deeper than before,” he said, adding, “It’s still go- new commercial that H going up again and ing to require a lot of presidential leadership. But the urged Congress and The latest ad emphasizes the need for health care reform. that small businesses Congress has to be an equal, more than it has before.” the next president to are being forced to Several proposals are likely starting points for con- make such reform the top domes- ciation (CHA), Families USA, and drop their plans. Louise said that a gressional negotiations with the new administration, he tic policy priority. the National Federation of Inde- friend just found out he has cancer said. First is the Healthy Americans Act, introduced in Jan- The effort was being bankrolled pendent Business (NFIB). and can’t afford a plan. Harry re- uary 2007 by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sen. Bob Ben- by five groups that by their own “We intend to transcend ideolo- marked that “too many people are nett (R-Utah). It has 16 cosponsors from both parties, in- admission have “historically diver- gy and partisan politics,” said falling through the cracks.” Finally, cluding Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the Finance gent views about health care re- Families USA Executive Director Louise said that “whoever the next Committee’s ranking minority member. form”: the American Cancer Soci- Ron Pollack at a press conference. president is,” health care should be The bill is being championed in the House by Rep. ety’s Cancer Action Network, the The multimillion dollar campaign “at the top of his agenda,” and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and Rep. Jo Ann American Hospital Association aired nationally for 2 weeks dur- that he should bring everyone to Emerson (R-Mo.).
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