Dramatic New Field Poll Shows Increasing Dissatisfaction with Current Health Insurance System Behind Increasing California Suppo

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

The Field Poll results released today show a dramatic increase in support amongst California voters for replacing the current health system in the state with a government-run system covering all Californians.

36% of California voters support a new government run system--like Medicare--up from 24% in last December's survey. At the same time support for making "reforms with the framework of the current health insurance system, with shared responsibilities by government and individuals" has dropped from 52% to 33%. Reliance on "free market competition to improve the health insurance system" draws only 14%, down from 18% previously.

So, the approach of SB 840 (Kuehl) now has a plurality of support in California, although within the margin of error of this survey--4.5 percent. What is most significant is the trend in this poll. Support for making changes within the current insurance framework has dropped 19 points while single payor has increased by 12 points.

Overall 69% of California voters want changes and only 14% see free market competition as the model.

Looking below these numbers, the cause of the shift is quite clear. The greater the dissatisfactions with the current system, the more support there is for replacing the current system with single payor. And there is growing dissatisfaction with what we have now in California.

Only eight short months ago in December 51% of California voters described themselves as satisfied with the current system. That number has dropped to 28% while those responding that they are dissatisfied has risen to 69% from 44% previously. The numbers who are very satisfied with what we have now has dropped to 7% from 13% previously and those who say they are "very dissatisfied" is now the largest response with 42%, up from 20% in that category before.

Table 4 in the poll shows the direct correlation of dissatisfaction with the health care system and those who want single payor. It also shows that the largest proposition of Democrats (47%) and "non-partisan/others" (39%) support single payor, while for Republicans the largest response is to reform the current system with insurance and "shared responsibility" (37%).