As summit begins, mixed messages on healthcare

An organization backed by Newt Gingrich has just released a new poll that tries to capture the public mood on healthcare.

As Democrats begin their final push for a reform package, these numbers give a pretty good snapshot of the complicated terrain they’re navigating.

The big number is 62%. That’s the portion of Americans who think we need major reform or a complete overhaul.

A third of us, meanwhile, just want minor tweaks or no change. (Only 6% wanted no change.)

The second big take-away is that 61% want either “government-run health care coverage” for all Americans, or government programs that “help Americans who can least afford health care coverage to purchase it.”

Again, about a third of Americans don’t want the government playing a more significant role.

So by modern American standards, there’s a pretty broad consensus that big changes are needed and the government should play a larger role in healthcare.

But here’s the wrinkle: A narrow majority of those same Americans hate this particular Democratic bill.

52% say they don’t want this reform package to pass. Only 40% favor it.

The bottom line?

These numbers aren’t insurmountable for Democrats. There’s a lot here for them to work with.

But they have to prove to Americans that their plan is smart and affordable. When asked what the top goal for reform should be, here were the top four:

39% Making health care more affordable
34% Allowing physicians and patients to be in charge of making medical decisions
31% Reducing the power of health insurance and drug companies
26% Guaranteeing access to health insurance even with preexisting conditions

In case this debate strikes you as academic, consider that we have half a dozen nursing homes in the North Country perched on the edge of closure.

They’re threatened because of healthcare costs and a system for compensating doctors, nursing homes and hospitals that no longer makes sense.