Poll Shows Americans Not in Favor of Mandatory Health Insurance, But Do Want a Return on Taxpayer Funded Medical Innovation

Marketwatch reports that a recent poll conducted by Consumer Watchdog shows that“Less than 15% of U.S. voters support, and 53% oppose, a proposal pushed by health insurers requiring every American to provide proof of private health insurance or face tax penalties or other fines.” A mandatory individual health insurance requirement is one of the provisions included in the recently unveiled AHIP health care reform proposal. Earlier in the week, in The American Spectator, Jeff Emanuel likened AHIP’s Proposal to an automobile manufacturer bailout which required every American to buy a car. See Health Reform Watch post here.

Marketwatch reports that the poll also found that “by just under a two-to-one margin voters favor requiring a return on taxpayer-funded research that leads to new medical treatments or prescription drugs.”

Marketwatch noted that “The issue is particularly important as President-elect Obama is proposing doubling research funding from the National Institutes of Health. He is also expected to end the Bush Administration's ban on federal fund of most embryonic stem cell research.” Read full article here.

AHIP Plan Criticized in The American Spectator

In a “Special Report,” Mandate Nation, Jeff Emanuel roundly criticized the AHIP Health Reform Plan released last week. Mr. Emanuel likened AHIP’s plan to an automobile manufacturer bailout which required every American to buy a car. He noted that the AHIP proposal includes “an enforceable individual coverage mandate,” and provision which calls for Congress “to legislate the cost of health care down by 30% over the next five years.”

Emanuel chided: “Imagine that: a "reform" plan, released by a service provider, that proposes that the government (a) require every American (all 300 million plus of them) to purchase what they're selling, often with taxpayer dollars, and (b) declare by law that those insurers must be charged less by providers and hospitals for the services their policyholders require.” Read the full article here.