Do Americans favor the creation of a public health insurance?

[DavidS]

One poll says: Yes.

Now, who believes the polls, right? I mean polls are done by mostly left-leaning organizations, right?

Not this one.

Okay, so this was a poll done by a conservative group that supports public health insurance, right?

No. This poll was done by a conservative group and PAID FOR by private health insurance companies.

Well, then the results must be very close, right?

No. This poll shows that over 80%, that's right, over 80% of Americans support the creation of public health insurance.

New Poll Shows Tremendous Support for Public Health Care Option | OurFuture.org

The 2009 Health Confidence Survey: Public Opinion on Health Reform Varies; Strong Support for Insurance Market Reform and Public Plan Option, Mixed Response to Tax Cap | EBRI

Eighty-three percent of Americans favor and only 14 percent oppose “creating a new public health insurance plan that anyone can purchase” according to EBRI, a conservative business research organization. This flatly contradicts conservatives’ loudest attack against President Obama’s plan to provide quality, affordable health care for all.
The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) calls itself “the most authoritative and objective source of information” on the issues of employee retirement and health benefits. Founded in 1978, EBRI says it “is the gold standard for private analysts and decision makers, government policymakers, the media, and the public.” And EBRI is funded by many of the largest corporations in America.
EBRI’s biggest donors include: AT&T, Bank of America, Boeing, General Dynamics, General Mills, IBM, JBMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Northop Grumman, Schering-Plough, Schwab, T.Rowe Price, UBS Financial, and Wal-Mart. EBRI also receives large contributions from the insurance industry, including: Blue Cross Blue Shield, CIGNA, Hartford, Kaiser Permanente, Massachusetts Mutual, Metropolitan Life, Union Labor Life, and UnitedHealth.
Here’s who paid for the poll, as stated by EBRI:

This survey was made possible with support from AARP, American Express, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Buck Consultants, Chevron, Deere & Company, IBM, Mercer, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Principal Financial Group, Schering-Plough Corp., Shell Oil Company, The Commonwealth Fund, and Towers Perrin.
​

 

[AVG-JOE]

Social Security - the biggest, most complicated, most heavily regulated insurance company in the history of mankind is run by YOUR federal government at less than 1% for ALL overhead and administrative costs.

Don't tell me that We, The People can't efficiently run our own insurance program.

The less money required to send insurance executives to conferences in Cancun and pay bonuses, the more money available to pay claims for beneficiaries who have paid into the system and the cheaper the premiums need to be.

Duh!

-Joe

 

[trueblue]

Social Security - the biggest, most complicated, most heavily regulated insurance company in the history of mankind is run by YOUR federal government at less than 1% for ALL overhead and administrative costs.

Don't tell me that We, The People can't efficiently run our own insurance program.

The less money required to send insurance executives to conferences in Cancun and pay bonuses, the more money available to pay claims for beneficiaries who have paid into the system and the cheaper the premiums need to be.

Duh!

-Joe

Are you seriously using social security as the model for how healthcare should be run? Wow. I didn't know that anyone was a fan of social security. Social security has been leaking and flat-out losing money for years. Remember how Al Gore wanted to put it in a lock box? Because the program stinks. We put money in and somehow it disappears. By 2025 or 2030 it is supposed to be all dried up and gone, despite the chunk they take every month from my paycheck and yours. That is why, sir, I seriously doubt overhead costs are less than 1%. And there's no way this federal government can pull of a successful medical program, especially if social security, medicare and medicaid are examples for how they'd like to pull it off.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Social Security - the biggest, most complicated, most heavily regulated insurance company in the history of mankind is run by YOUR federal government at less than 1% for ALL overhead and administrative costs.

Don't tell me that We, The People can't efficiently run our own insurance program.

The less money required to send insurance executives to conferences in Cancun and pay bonuses, the more money available to pay claims for beneficiaries who have paid into the system and the cheaper the premiums need to be.

Duh!

-Joe

Are you seriously using social security as the model for how healthcare should be run? Wow. I didn't know that anyone was a fan of social security. Social security has been leaking and flat-out losing money for years. Remember how Al Gore wanted to put it in a lock box? Because the program stinks. We put money in and somehow it disappears. By 2025 or 2030 it is supposed to be all dried up and gone, despite the chunk they take every month from my paycheck and yours. That is why, sir, I seriously doubt overhead costs are less than 1%. And there's no way this federal government can pull of a successful medical program, especially if social security, medicare and medicaid are examples for how they'd like to pull it off.

Believe it. The administrative costs, ALL of them, including office space, wages, training, computers, heat, lights, the whole shit and shaboodle are less than 1 penny out of every tax dollar collected (just FICA taxes, mind you, not all taxes). The reason? SSA is managed and manned by professionals who are committed to excellence and willing to do the job for a reasonable wage.

SSA is the most efficiently run insurance program ever conceived. That's why the health insurance industry is lobbying so hard to keep their gravy train to themselves - they would fold under the competition.

SSA is solvent until 2035 - 2045 depending on what happens with the economy, and things are looking good for reform because starting in 1984 all newly hired members of congress were covered by SS, and civil service began being grandfathered out. As soon as the old timers like Kennedy are replaced by leadership hired after 1984, you will see Social Security reform cooking nicely on the front burner.

(insert your favorite Deity here) bless the USA!

-Joe

 

[foggedinn]

Only those Americans who have had to deal with private health insurance.

 

[trueblue]

Social Security - the biggest, most complicated, most heavily regulated insurance company in the history of mankind is run by YOUR federal government at less than 1% for ALL overhead and administrative costs.

Don't tell me that We, The People can't efficiently run our own insurance program.

The less money required to send insurance executives to conferences in Cancun and pay bonuses, the more money available to pay claims for beneficiaries who have paid into the system and the cheaper the premiums need to be.

Duh!

-Joe

Are you seriously using social security as the model for how healthcare should be run? Wow. I didn't know that anyone was a fan of social security. Social security has been leaking and flat-out losing money for years. Remember how Al Gore wanted to put it in a lock box? Because the program stinks. We put money in and somehow it disappears. By 2025 or 2030 it is supposed to be all dried up and gone, despite the chunk they take every month from my paycheck and yours. That is why, sir, I seriously doubt overhead costs are less than 1%. And there's no way this federal government can pull of a successful medical program, especially if social security, medicare and medicaid are examples for how they'd like to pull it off.

Believe it. The administrative costs, ALL of them, including office space, wages, training, computers, heat, lights, the whole shit and shaboodle are less than 1 penny out of every tax dollar collected (just FICA taxes, mind you, not all taxes). The reason? SSA is managed and manned by professionals who are committed to excellence and willing to do the job for a reasonable wage.

SSA is the most efficiently run insurance program ever conceived. That's why the health insurance industry is lobbying so hard to keep their gravy train to themselves - they would fold under the competition.

SSA is solvent until 2035 - 2045 depending on what happens with the economy, and things are looking good for reform because starting in 1984 all newly hired members of congress were covered by SS, and civil service began being grandfathered out. As soon as the old timers like Kennedy are replaced by leadership hired after 1984, you will see Social Security reform cooking nicely on the front burner.

(insert your favorite Deity here) bless the USA!

-Joe

Even if what you said was true and the SSA is the most efficient insurance program in the nation, it is still on track to crash, to fail, to run into the ground. That's not the kind of business model I want paying my hospital bills. Still, I gotta call you on this one. Do you have a source for all these claims? Or are you just making this stuff up?

 

[Political Junky]

Social Security - the biggest, most complicated, most heavily regulated insurance company in the history of mankind is run by YOUR federal government at less than 1% for ALL overhead and administrative costs.

Don't tell me that We, The People can't efficiently run our own insurance program.

The less money required to send insurance executives to conferences in Cancun and pay bonuses, the more money available to pay claims for beneficiaries who have paid into the system and the cheaper the premiums need to be.

Duh!

-Joe

Are you seriously using social security as the model for how healthcare should be run? Wow. I didn't know that anyone was a fan of social security. Social security has been leaking and flat-out losing money for years. Remember how Al Gore wanted to put it in a lock box? Because the program stinks. We put money in and somehow it disappears. By 2025 or 2030 it is supposed to be all dried up and gone, despite the chunk they take every month from my paycheck and yours. That is why, sir, I seriously doubt overhead costs are less than 1%. And there's no way this federal government can pull of a successful medical program, especially if social security, medicare and medicaid are examples for how they'd like to pull it off.

Then I'm sure you must not allow your parents to accept Social Security or Medicare.

 

[Political Junky]

One poll says: Yes.

Now, who believes the polls, right? I mean polls are done by mostly left-leaning organizations, right?

Not this one.

Okay, so this was a poll done by a conservative group that supports public health insurance, right?

No. This poll was done by a conservative group and PAID FOR by private health insurance companies.

Well, then the results must be very close, right?

No. This poll shows that over 80%, that's right, over 80% of Americans support the creation of public health insurance.

New Poll Shows Tremendous Support for Public Health Care Option | OurFuture.org

The 2009 Health Confidence Survey: Public Opinion on Health Reform Varies; Strong Support for Insurance Market Reform and Public Plan Option, Mixed Response to Tax Cap | EBRI

Eighty-three percent of Americans favor and only 14 percent oppose “creating a new public health insurance plan that anyone can purchase” according to EBRI, a conservative business research organization. This flatly contradicts conservatives’ loudest attack against President Obama’s plan to provide quality, affordable health care for all.
The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) calls itself “the most authoritative and objective source of information” on the issues of employee retirement and health benefits. Founded in 1978, EBRI says it “is the gold standard for private analysts and decision makers, government policymakers, the media, and the public.” And EBRI is funded by many of the largest corporations in America.
EBRI’s biggest donors include: AT&T, Bank of America, Boeing, General Dynamics, General Mills, IBM, JBMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Northop Grumman, Schering-Plough, Schwab, T.Rowe Price, UBS Financial, and Wal-Mart. EBRI also receives large contributions from the insurance industry, including: Blue Cross Blue Shield, CIGNA, Hartford, Kaiser Permanente, Massachusetts Mutual, Metropolitan Life, Union Labor Life, and UnitedHealth.
Here’s who paid for the poll, as stated by EBRI:

This survey was made possible with support from AARP, American Express, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Buck Consultants, Chevron, Deere & Company, IBM, Mercer, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Principal Financial Group, Schering-Plough Corp., Shell Oil Company, The Commonwealth Fund, and Towers Perrin.
​

Yes, I'd heard about this poll too. 80% of Americans in favor of a public option to healthcare is pretty convincing.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Are you seriously using social security as the model for how healthcare should be run? Wow. I didn't know that anyone was a fan of social security. Social security has been leaking and flat-out losing money for years. Remember how Al Gore wanted to put it in a lock box? Because the program stinks. We put money in and somehow it disappears. By 2025 or 2030 it is supposed to be all dried up and gone, despite the chunk they take every month from my paycheck and yours. That is why, sir, I seriously doubt overhead costs are less than 1%. And there's no way this federal government can pull of a successful medical program, especially if social security, medicare and medicaid are examples for how they'd like to pull it off.

Believe it. The administrative costs, ALL of them, including office space, wages, training, computers, heat, lights, the whole shit and shaboodle are less than 1 penny out of every tax dollar collected (just FICA taxes, mind you, not all taxes). The reason? SSA is managed and manned by professionals who are committed to excellence and willing to do the job for a reasonable wage.

SSA is the most efficiently run insurance program ever conceived. That's why the health insurance industry is lobbying so hard to keep their gravy train to themselves - they would fold under the competition.

SSA is solvent until 2035 - 2045 depending on what happens with the economy, and things are looking good for reform because starting in 1984 all newly hired members of congress were covered by SS, and civil service began being grandfathered out. As soon as the old timers like Kennedy are replaced by leadership hired after 1984, you will see Social Security reform cooking nicely on the front burner.

(insert your favorite Deity here) bless the USA!

-Joe

Even if what you said was true and the SSA is the most efficient insurance program in the nation, it is still on track to crash, to fail, to run into the ground. That's not the kind of business model I want paying my hospital bills. Still, I gotta call you on this one. Do you have a source for all these claims? Or are you just making this stuff up?

My source is a dear friend who works for the agency and his source is internal training publications, but everything I've said is of public record. SSA is not on a track to crash, it is on track to need changes, which do need to be pushed for by the voters, but having congresscritters hired after 1984 being on Social Security instead of Civil Service helps - An easy way for the voters to help? Dump an Incumbant!

-Joe

 

[sealybobo]

At a long-awaited House subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, health-care professionals made it clear that they believe a single-payer system to be the best and perhaps only workable option for health care reform.

Advocates of single-payer universal healthcare—the system favored by most Americans—continue to protest their exclusion from discussions on healthcare reform. On Tuesday, five doctors, nurses and single-payer advocates were arrested at a Senate Finance Committee hearing, bringing the total number of arrests in less than a week to thirteen.

Baucus's Raucous Caucus: Doctors, Nurses and Activists Arrested Again for Protesting Exclusion of Single-Payer Advocates at Senate Hearing on Healthcare

60 percent of Americans in support of single-payer health insurance, advocates say Congress is excluding the majority of Americans from a critical national debate. Single-payer supporters say politicians are unfairly criticizing the idea as politically unfeasible without even having an open and public dialogue on its merits.

 

[editec]

Who cares what Americans favor?

This reliance some of you have on polls, as though the people polled understand what's going on is totally absurd.

American are so badly being jerked around by misinformation they don't know whether to shit or go blind.

 

[Political Junky]

Who cares what Americans favor?

This reliance some of you have on polls, as though the people polled understand what's going on is totally absurd.

American are so badly being jerked around by misinformation they don't know whether to shit or go blind.

Those opposed are being fed right wing talking points against a public option. Do some research other than right wing/insurance websites.

 

[toomuchtime_]

One poll says: Yes.

Now, who believes the polls, right? I mean polls are done by mostly left-leaning organizations, right?

Not this one.

Okay, so this was a poll done by a conservative group that supports public health insurance, right?

No. This poll was done by a conservative group and PAID FOR by private health insurance companies.

Well, then the results must be very close, right?

No. This poll shows that over 80%, that's right, over 80% of Americans support the creation of public health insurance.

New Poll Shows Tremendous Support for Public Health Care Option | OurFuture.org

The 2009 Health Confidence Survey: Public Opinion on Health Reform Varies; Strong Support for Insurance Market Reform and Public Plan Option, Mixed Response to Tax Cap | EBRI

Eighty-three percent of Americans favor and only 14 percent oppose “creating a new public health insurance plan that anyone can purchase” according to EBRI, a conservative business research organization. This flatly contradicts conservatives’ loudest attack against President Obama’s plan to provide quality, affordable health care for all.
The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) calls itself “the most authoritative and objective source of information” on the issues of employee retirement and health benefits. Founded in 1978, EBRI says it “is the gold standard for private analysts and decision makers, government policymakers, the media, and the public.” And EBRI is funded by many of the largest corporations in America.
EBRI’s biggest donors include: AT&T, Bank of America, Boeing, General Dynamics, General Mills, IBM, JBMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Northop Grumman, Schering-Plough, Schwab, T.Rowe Price, UBS Financial, and Wal-Mart. EBRI also receives large contributions from the insurance industry, including: Blue Cross Blue Shield, CIGNA, Hartford, Kaiser Permanente, Massachusetts Mutual, Metropolitan Life, Union Labor Life, and UnitedHealth.
Here’s who paid for the poll, as stated by EBRI:

This survey was made possible with support from AARP, American Express, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Buck Consultants, Chevron, Deere & Company, IBM, Mercer, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Principal Financial Group, Schering-Plough Corp., Shell Oil Company, The Commonwealth Fund, and Towers Perrin.
​

Many Americans favor a public plan in principle, but the real question is, do they support it if it will raise their taxes, increase their health insurance premiums or increase the deficit?

 

[Political Junky]

One poll says: Yes.

Now, who believes the polls, right? I mean polls are done by mostly left-leaning organizations, right?

Not this one.

Okay, so this was a poll done by a conservative group that supports public health insurance, right?

No. This poll was done by a conservative group and PAID FOR by private health insurance companies.

Well, then the results must be very close, right?

No. This poll shows that over 80%, that's right, over 80% of Americans support the creation of public health insurance.

New Poll Shows Tremendous Support for Public Health Care Option | OurFuture.org

The 2009 Health Confidence Survey: Public Opinion on Health Reform Varies; Strong Support for Insurance Market Reform and Public Plan Option, Mixed Response to Tax Cap | EBRI

Eighty-three percent of Americans favor and only 14 percent oppose “creating a new public health insurance plan that anyone can purchase” according to EBRI, a conservative business research organization. This flatly contradicts conservatives’ loudest attack against President Obama’s plan to provide quality, affordable health care for all.
The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) calls itself “the most authoritative and objective source of information” on the issues of employee retirement and health benefits. Founded in 1978, EBRI says it “is the gold standard for private analysts and decision makers, government policymakers, the media, and the public.” And EBRI is funded by many of the largest corporations in America.
EBRI’s biggest donors include: AT&T, Bank of America, Boeing, General Dynamics, General Mills, IBM, JBMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Northop Grumman, Schering-Plough, Schwab, T.Rowe Price, UBS Financial, and Wal-Mart. EBRI also receives large contributions from the insurance industry, including: Blue Cross Blue Shield, CIGNA, Hartford, Kaiser Permanente, Massachusetts Mutual, Metropolitan Life, Union Labor Life, and UnitedHealth.
Here’s who paid for the poll, as stated by EBRI:

This survey was made possible with support from AARP, American Express, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Buck Consultants, Chevron, Deere & Company, IBM, Mercer, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Principal Financial Group, Schering-Plough Corp., Shell Oil Company, The Commonwealth Fund, and Towers Perrin.
​

Many Americans favor a public plan in principle, but the real question is, do they support it if it will raise their taxes, increase their health insurance premiums or increase the deficit?

A public option certainly won't raise anyone's insurance premiums.
Americans aren't as stupid as you assume.

 

[AVG-JOE]

One poll says: Yes.

Now, who believes the polls, right? I mean polls are done by mostly left-leaning organizations, right?

Not this one.

Okay, so this was a poll done by a conservative group that supports public health insurance, right?

No. This poll was done by a conservative group and PAID FOR by private health insurance companies.

Well, then the results must be very close, right?

No. This poll shows that over 80%, that's right, over 80% of Americans support the creation of public health insurance.

New Poll Shows Tremendous Support for Public Health Care Option | OurFuture.org

The 2009 Health Confidence Survey: Public Opinion on Health Reform Varies; Strong Support for Insurance Market Reform and Public Plan Option, Mixed Response to Tax Cap | EBRI

Eighty-three percent of Americans favor and only 14 percent oppose “creating a new public health insurance plan that anyone can purchase” according to EBRI, a conservative business research organization. This flatly contradicts conservatives’ loudest attack against President Obama’s plan to provide quality, affordable health care for all.
The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) calls itself “the most authoritative and objective source of information” on the issues of employee retirement and health benefits. Founded in 1978, EBRI says it “is the gold standard for private analysts and decision makers, government policymakers, the media, and the public.” And EBRI is funded by many of the largest corporations in America.
EBRI’s biggest donors include: AT&T, Bank of America, Boeing, General Dynamics, General Mills, IBM, JBMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Northop Grumman, Schering-Plough, Schwab, T.Rowe Price, UBS Financial, and Wal-Mart. EBRI also receives large contributions from the insurance industry, including: Blue Cross Blue Shield, CIGNA, Hartford, Kaiser Permanente, Massachusetts Mutual, Metropolitan Life, Union Labor Life, and UnitedHealth.
Here’s who paid for the poll, as stated by EBRI:

This survey was made possible with support from AARP, American Express, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Buck Consultants, Chevron, Deere & Company, IBM, Mercer, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Principal Financial Group, Schering-Plough Corp., Shell Oil Company, The Commonwealth Fund, and Towers Perrin.
​

Many Americans favor a public plan in principle, but the real question is, do they support it if it will raise their taxes, increase their health insurance premiums or increase the deficit?

Think about how much money you and your employer spend on your health care.

Nationwide, that is a SHIT-PILE of money!

Even poorly managed it would go a long way to paying for health care if the private insurance profits were removed from the equation.

-Joe

 

[sealybobo]

Who cares what Americans favor?

This reliance some of you have on polls, as though the people polled understand what's going on is totally absurd.

American are so badly being jerked around by misinformation they don't know whether to shit or go blind.

Those opposed are being fed right wing talking points against a public option. Do some research other than right wing/insurance websites.

Editec isn't talking about him/herself. And he/she is right about most people.

But you are right too. 100%.

 

[sealybobo]

One poll says: Yes.

Now, who believes the polls, right? I mean polls are done by mostly left-leaning organizations, right?

Not this one.

Okay, so this was a poll done by a conservative group that supports public health insurance, right?

No. This poll was done by a conservative group and PAID FOR by private health insurance companies.

Well, then the results must be very close, right?

No. This poll shows that over 80%, that's right, over 80% of Americans support the creation of public health insurance.

New Poll Shows Tremendous Support for Public Health Care Option | OurFuture.org

The 2009 Health Confidence Survey: Public Opinion on Health Reform Varies; Strong Support for Insurance Market Reform and Public Plan Option, Mixed Response to Tax Cap | EBRI

Eighty-three percent of Americans favor and only 14 percent oppose “creating a new public health insurance plan that anyone can purchase” according to EBRI, a conservative business research organization. This flatly contradicts conservatives’ loudest attack against President Obama’s plan to provide quality, affordable health care for all.
The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) calls itself “the most authoritative and objective source of information” on the issues of employee retirement and health benefits. Founded in 1978, EBRI says it “is the gold standard for private analysts and decision makers, government policymakers, the media, and the public.” And EBRI is funded by many of the largest corporations in America.
EBRI’s biggest donors include: AT&T, Bank of America, Boeing, General Dynamics, General Mills, IBM, JBMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Northop Grumman, Schering-Plough, Schwab, T.Rowe Price, UBS Financial, and Wal-Mart. EBRI also receives large contributions from the insurance industry, including: Blue Cross Blue Shield, CIGNA, Hartford, Kaiser Permanente, Massachusetts Mutual, Metropolitan Life, Union Labor Life, and UnitedHealth.
Here’s who paid for the poll, as stated by EBRI:

This survey was made possible with support from AARP, American Express, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Buck Consultants, Chevron, Deere & Company, IBM, Mercer, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Principal Financial Group, Schering-Plough Corp., Shell Oil Company, The Commonwealth Fund, and Towers Perrin.
​

Many Americans favor a public plan in principle, but the real question is, do they support it if it will raise their taxes, increase their health insurance premiums or increase the deficit?

Think about how much money you and your employer spend on your health care.

Nationwide, that is a SHIT-PILE of money!

Even poorly managed it would go a long way to paying for health care if the private insurance profits were removed from the equation.

-Joe

And everyone would be covered.

How come we give murderers court appointed lawyers for practically nothing but we don't give sick people healthcare?

 

[toomuchtime_]

One poll says: Yes.

Now, who believes the polls, right? I mean polls are done by mostly left-leaning organizations, right?

Not this one.

Okay, so this was a poll done by a conservative group that supports public health insurance, right?

No. This poll was done by a conservative group and PAID FOR by private health insurance companies.

Well, then the results must be very close, right?

No. This poll shows that over 80%, that's right, over 80% of Americans support the creation of public health insurance.

New Poll Shows Tremendous Support for Public Health Care Option | OurFuture.org

The 2009 Health Confidence Survey: Public Opinion on Health Reform Varies; Strong Support for Insurance Market Reform and Public Plan Option, Mixed Response to Tax Cap | EBRI

Eighty-three percent of Americans favor and only 14 percent oppose “creating a new public health insurance plan that anyone can purchase” according to EBRI, a conservative business research organization. This flatly contradicts conservatives’ loudest attack against President Obama’s plan to provide quality, affordable health care for all.
The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) calls itself “the most authoritative and objective source of information” on the issues of employee retirement and health benefits. Founded in 1978, EBRI says it “is the gold standard for private analysts and decision makers, government policymakers, the media, and the public.” And EBRI is funded by many of the largest corporations in America.
EBRI’s biggest donors include: AT&T, Bank of America, Boeing, General Dynamics, General Mills, IBM, JBMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Northop Grumman, Schering-Plough, Schwab, T.Rowe Price, UBS Financial, and Wal-Mart. EBRI also receives large contributions from the insurance industry, including: Blue Cross Blue Shield, CIGNA, Hartford, Kaiser Permanente, Massachusetts Mutual, Metropolitan Life, Union Labor Life, and UnitedHealth.
Here’s who paid for the poll, as stated by EBRI:

This survey was made possible with support from AARP, American Express, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Buck Consultants, Chevron, Deere & Company, IBM, Mercer, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Principal Financial Group, Schering-Plough Corp., Shell Oil Company, The Commonwealth Fund, and Towers Perrin.
​

Many Americans favor a public plan in principle, but the real question is, do they support it if it will raise their taxes, increase their health insurance premiums or increase the deficit?

Think about how much money you and your employer spend on your health care.

Nationwide, that is a SHIT-PILE of money!

Even poorly managed it would go a long way to paying for health care if the private insurance profits were removed from the equation.

-Joe

From what I've seen by looking at some annual reports of large health insurance companies, profits as a percentage of gross revenues average only about 3%, so if that's the only argument for a public plan, it's not much of an argument. You could argue that administrative costs as a percentage of revenues appear to be significantly lower for our existing public plan, Medicare, than for private insurance companies, but some of that difference appears to be the result of differences in accounting between the government and the private sector and when you factor in the higher returns private plans get from their investments than Medicare gets from its Treasuries, it's not at all clear that a public plan offering the same coverage as a private plan would be significantly cheaper unless the rates were kept artificially low and this would mean either higher taxes or larger deficits.

On the contrary, there is good reason to think a coverage from a public plan would cost more than from a private plan because there would be tremendous political pressure to include the expanded benefits and terms of service Obama has advocated in a public plan, such as accepting pre existing conditions at standard rates and expanded mental health benefits. Including these expanded benefits and terms of service would make the public plan more expensive than private plans, having the effect that only those with pre existing conditions or in need of extensive mental health benefits or other expanded benefits would choose the public plan, thus further driving up its costs. There are only two ways the government could keep the public plan price competitive with private plans: raise taxes or incur larger deficits to keep premiums artificially low or require all employers to provide the same expanded coverage the public plan did, thus raising the cost of health insurance for US companies and their employees and making US companies less competitive with foreign companies with all the negative economic consequences this would entail.

Also worrisome is the fact that our current public plan, Medicare, will go broke in about five years, according to the last estimate I've seen, because Congress has irresponsibly yielded to political pressure for years and not raised the payroll taxes that are supposed to fund Medicare high enough to keep it solvent, and now these same politicans want us to believe they will behave responsibly if they are allowed to create a new public plan.

Obama wants to rush this thing through Congress so you will not have time to think about these things.

 

[toomuchtime_]

Many Americans favor a public plan in principle, but the real question is, do they support it if it will raise their taxes, increase their health insurance premiums or increase the deficit?

Think about how much money you and your employer spend on your health care.

Nationwide, that is a SHIT-PILE of money!

Even poorly managed it would go a long way to paying for health care if the private insurance profits were removed from the equation.

-Joe

And everyone would be covered.

How come we give murderers court appointed lawyers for practically nothing but we don't give sick people healthcare?

There is no reason to think a public plan has anything to do with universal coverage. For example, the Kennedy-Dodd bill would include a public plan and leave an estimated 37 million Americans without insurance coverage. Those currently uninsured who would receive it under this bill would get it because of insurance subsidies that have nothing to do with a public plan.

 

[Political Junky]

Think about how much money you and your employer spend on your health care.

Nationwide, that is a SHIT-PILE of money!

Even poorly managed it would go a long way to paying for health care if the private insurance profits were removed from the equation.

-Joe

And everyone would be covered.

How come we give murderers court appointed lawyers for practically nothing but we don't give sick people healthcare?

There is no reason to think a public plan has anything to do with universal coverage. For example, the Kennedy-Dodd bill would include a public plan and leave an estimated 37 million Americans without insurance coverage. Those currently uninsured who would receive it under this bill would get it because of insurance subsidies that have nothing to do with a public plan.

We've got FedEx and UPS competing with the US Mail. Does anyone think that's a bad idea?