OCEAN BEACH, CA. As the debate over health care reform rages, OB Rag readers chimed in – and they chimed in heavily on the side of single payer or public option health care options.
From the poll, which ran for about one week starting on September 24, 2009, clearly 80% are dissatisfied with the current status quo. 72 voters out of a total 0f 90 responded that they either don’t have health insurance at all – 11%, or they want single payer – 32%, or want a public option-34%, and 2% said they have employer-provided insurance but don’t use it because of the high co-pay. That 66% want single-payer or the public option mirrors the figures in national polls.
In contrast, 7% said they were satisfied with their employer-provided health insurance, and then 11% declared that government should not be involved in health care and that they don’t use Medicare, Medi-Cal, or Veterans care provided by the VA.
We asked our readers:
What health care option or reform do you prefer? and the responses in order of how asked are as follows:
1. Single-payer is the only way to go.
29—32% of all votes
2. I’m satisfied with my employer-provided plan.
6—7% of all votes
3. There must be a public option available.
31—34% of all votes
4. I have health care insurance but don’t use it because can’t afford the copay.
2—2% of all votes
5. I don’t have health care insurance, so the status quo is not an option.
10—11% of all votes
6. Government should not be involved in health care, and I am not using Medicare, Medical, or Veteran’s health care.
12—13% of all votes
Total Votes: 90 Poll started: September 24, 2009
There is no way for us to determine where respondents live, so it is a poll of our readers, most of whom live in San Diego.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I think the one liberating thought I have towards all of this health care chatter is that if some sort of “socialized” health care gets implemented in the United States a great number of people will be free from jobs they stay at only for the health care.
Too many hate their day jobs, but stay for the health benefits. I guess you have to be an indentured servant to be healthy.
Shawn – you may be on to something here, something the White House has overlooked: all those employees who were working just to keep their employer-provided health care, can now quit, and thousands of jobs will open up for all those unemployed! This is great. Let me fax the White House right now.
Shawn, perhaps you’re a young guy, and health care right now in your life is not important, is not a priority – because … you feel healthy, you are healthy ( despite all those drugs you say you do), so the ISSUE of reform is not an issue for you – thus you can make snide and poignant and silly comments on a non-issue for you.
I’m not young, so health care and the reform of the health care system is a big issue for me – and alot of my friends to be honest. My friends and I are in crying need of good medical help – but we cannot afford it. We go without certain things – because it is not accessible to us. We go into debt due to medical bills. Some of us have to mortgage our homes in order to pay off hospital invoices.
It’s crazy in this country at this time of our history – but the profit system rules the health care system – and the American people suffer because of it.
Shawn, your people are suffering. Please help us, instead of making comments on the sidelines. Your obvious talent can be used to help us change this system. We need you, not your cynicism.
Molly, please be kind to my’boyee Shawn. He’s not cynical, just mentally ill ( he’s gonna be my campaign mgr. in the race for president of OB). Hell, if I could get my shrink at the VA to get me on a 100% disability w/a medical Mary card I’d ‘B’ one happy O’Bcean:>) I could quit my job when I get one 2!
-Adios from the 500 monkeys