Here Are The Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #15699

Geography Surveyed: USA 50 States
Data Collected: 08/19/2009
Release Date: 08/20/2009 10:50 AM ET
Sponsor: MoveOn.org Political Action

SurveyUSA Health Care Data Gathered Using NBC News Wall Street Journal Questions: SurveyUSA asked 1,200 USA adults four questions that, word-for-word, were included in the three most recent NBC News / Wall Street Journal polls.

SurveyUSA Question #2 appears in the June 2009 NBC-WSJ poll as Question #34A.

SurveyUSA Question #3 appears in the June 2009 NBC-WSJ poll as Question #34C, in the July 2009 NBC-WSJ poll as Question #29, and in the August 2009 NBC-WSJ poll as Question #10.

SurveyUSA Questions #4 and #5 appear in the June 2009 NBC-WSJ poll as Question #31C, in the July 2009 NBC-WSJ poll as Question #30, and in the August 2009 NBC-WSJ poll as Question #11.

SurveyUSA Question #6 appears in the June 2009 NBC-WSJ poll as Question #32, in the July 2009 NBC-WSJ poll as Question #31, and in the August 2009 NBC-WSJ poll as Question #12.

SurveyUSA demographics were matched as close as practicable to demographics used by the NBC-WSJ pollsters in June, July and August 2009. The NBC-WSJ questionnaires in all cases were longer. Not all questions from the NBC-WSJ surveys were included in the SurveyUSA research. For example, in the July 2009 NBC-WSJ poll, respondents were asked questions about Congress, Sonia Sotomayor, Sarah Palin, Joe Biden , Nancy Pelosi, Mitt Romney, Hillary Clinton, the 2010 mid-term election, job creation, deficit spending, Iraq, Afghanistan, gasoline, global warming, greenhouse gases, moral values, bank regulation and stimulus packages before respondents were asked questions about health care. There is nothing inherently worse about a longer questionnaire, there is nothing inherently better about a shorter questionnaire; there is just more opportunity for "question-order" interaction in a longer questionnaire. SurveyUSA included only the questions shown below, and no others. SurveyUSA Question #1 does not map to a specific NBC-WSJ poll; it was included to introduce the respondent to the topic of health care. SurveyUSA poll was conducted using digitally mastered, recorded audio. NBC-WSJ polls were not. NBC-WSJ August data gathered 08/15/09 through 08/17/09. SurveyUSA data gathered 08/19/09. SurveyUSA data collection for this project was underwritten by MoveOn.org. Poll respondents did not hear MoveOn's name. SurveyUSA is an independent research company and does not endorse any particular cause or ideology. SurveyUSA has no stake in the outcome of any health-care legislation and is a disinterested party in the health-care debate.


1
   Asked of 1200 Adults
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2.6 percentage points.

Are you paying ... a lot of attention? A little attention? Or not very much attention? ...to the debate over health care?

73% A Lot Of Attention
21% A Little Attention
5% Not Very Much Attention

2
   Asked of 1200 Adults
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2.9 percentage points.

In any health care proposal, how important do you feel it is to give people a choice of both a public plan administered by the federal government and a private plan for their health insurance--extremely important, quite important, not that important, or not at all important?

58% Extremely Important
19% Quite Important
7% Not That Important
15% Not At All Important
1% Not Sure

3
   Asked of 1200 Adults
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2.9 percentage points.

Please tell me which ONE statement you agree with more on the issue of creating a new public health plan administered by the federal government. (choices rotated) Some people say it would help lower health care costs because it would compete with private health plans. This new public plan would provide coverage for the uninsured and all Americans would have an option for quality affordable health care. Other people say that patients might not always have access to their choice of doctors and the government would lower costs by limiting medical treatment options and decisions that should be made instead by patients and doctors.

42% Provide Care for All
46% Limit Access to Doctors
11% Not Sure

4
   Asked of 1200 Adults
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2 percentage points.

Do you have a health plan, that is, are you covered by a private health insurance plan or by a government program such as Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare?

85% Yes
13% No
1% Not Sure

5
   Asked of 1024 with a health plan
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2.9 percentage points.

Well, what kind of plan would you say your primary plan is?

67% Private
22% Medicare
4% Medicaid
5% Tricare
2% Other
1% Not Sure

6
   Asked of 1200 Adults
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2.9 percentage points.

Now I am going to tell you more about the health care plan that President Obama supports and please tell me whether you would favor or oppose it. The plan requires that health insurance companies cover people with pre-existing medical conditions. It also requires all but the smallest employers to provide health coverage for their employees, or pay a percentage of their payroll to help fund coverage for the uninsured. Families and individuals with lower- and middle-incomes would receive tax credits to help them afford insurance coverage. Some of the funding for this plan would come from raising taxes on wealthier Americans. Do you favor or oppose this plan?

51% Favor
43% Oppose
6% Not Sure

7
   Asked of 614 who favor plan
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 3.3 percentage points.

And do you strongly or only somewhat favor this plan?

79% Strongly Favor
20% Somewhat Favor
1% Not Sure

8
   Asked of 511 who oppose plan
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 3 percentage points.

And do you strongly or only somewhat oppose this plan?

86% Strongly Oppose
13% Somewhat Oppose
1% Not Sure

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