Utahns aren't buying President Clinton's health-care-reform package.
In fact, if the proposal were on November's ballot, it would be buried under an avalanche of opposition. Among those who know about the plan - and that's nearly everybody - 62 percent are against it and only 21 percent for.On the other hand, an overwhelming majority of the state's residents with health insurance are satisfied with their current coverage, though most would like to see some rule changes.
Those are some of the findings of Utah's first statewide poll on health-care proposals, carried out Oct. 19-22 by Dan Jones and Associates. The survey was conducted on the behest of the Utah Health Insurance Association and the Utah Association of Health Underwriters.
While the two groups definitely have a stake in the issues, Jones insisted that the groups did not try to skew the results. The questions were written by Jones' staff and reviewed by the groups, and adults were contacted in every county of the state.
The poll queried 616 residents statewide and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. It also had a reliability check built in. That is that state figures show that 11 percent of Utahns don't have insurance, and the pollsters asked residents if they were insured.
The results tallied exactly with the state figures: 11 percent had no health insurance.
Few Utahns were unaware of Clinton's plan, with 94 percent saying they had heard about the president's proposals. "That's amazing," Jones said during a press conference last week in the Capitol.
Those who oppose the president's plan outnumber proponents three-to-one.
Jones noted that the percentage against the proposal is "terribly high." There is "strong opposition to the Clinton health-care plan in the state of Utah."
The fact that so many know about the issue reflects the national debate over health care. The battle at one time boosted the issue to No. 1 among citizen concerns, both nationwide and in Utah. Recently, it has been surpassed by worries about crime, but health care is still in the top five concerns, he said.
"One of the major reasons that they oppose Clinton's plan was control at the national level," Jones said.
This is borne out by the fact that far less opposition has surfaced to the health-care plan advanced by Gov. Mike Leavitt. Nearly half of the residents had heard about Leavitt's "Healthprint," intended as a state counterbalance to the federal plan. Of those who knew about it, nearly half favored it, with few opposed.
A big majority said the country's health-care system needs reforming.
A greater proportion of insured Utahns are satisfied with their insurance. Still, that doesn't mean they don't want any changes in their policies - most want some important modifications.
Changes that most people favored were that they want insurance companies to accept all applicants, regardless of health status; want guarantees that insurance policies are portable, so they can be carried over when an employee switches jobs; and want the elimination of pre-existing conditions as reasons to exclude coverage.
Also, most thought lower premiums should be charged for people with healthy lifestyles, that employers should have to offer insurance plans, that employers should pay part of the plans' premiums and that government should provide insurance subsidies for low-income people.
During the press conference, a reporter asked whether the organizations sponsoring the poll would push for some reforms that are supported by the vast majority of Utahns - for example, rules to end exclusions of previously existing conditions and to guarantee that insurance is portable from job to job.
The Utah Health Insurance Association is made up of 14 insurers who serve more than 1 million Utahns. Speaking of the 14 insurers, the association's Leonard Grover said, "I would say that the majority of them do support the elimination of pre-existing conditions and the portability of health insurance" so that more people will be covered.
The Utah Association of Health Underwriters has 200 members, servicing employers' groups that underwrite insurance for 80 percent of all Utah businesses, according to figures released at the news conference. Mike Bush of the UAHU said that group supports both elimination of pre-existing conditions and the portability of insurance.
The association is interested in making sure that there is a level playing field in the insurance rules, Bush said.
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Additional Information
Health-care reform
In your opinion, is the nation's health-care system in need of reform or not?
Definitely 56%
Probably 24%
Probably not 10%
Definitely not 7%
Don't know 3%
Have you heard of the health care-reform bill proposed by President Clinton?
Yes 94%
No 5%
Don't know 1%
How knowledgeable would you say you are about the bill?
Very knowledgeable 8%
Somewhat knowledgeable 56%
Not very knowledgeable 30%
Not knowledgeable 6%
Don't know 1%
Do you favor or oppose the proposed health-care plan?
Strongly favor 7%
Somewhat favor 14%
Somewhat oppose 19%
Strongly oppose 43%
Don't know 16%
Would you favor or oppose the following measures:
Strongly Somewhat Somewhat Strongly Don't
Favor Favor Oppose Oppose Know
Requiring insurance
companies to accept all
applicants, regardless of
health status.
51% 23% 8% 13% 5%
Allowing individuals to
retain coverage as they
switch jobs. 79% 14% 2% 3% 2%
Eliminating exclusions for
pre-existing conditions 48% 23% 11% 9% 8%
Paying lower premiums if you
have a health lifestyle 71% 15% 6% 5% 3%
Poll conducted Oct. 19-22. Margin of error +- 4% on interviews of 616 Utahns. Conducted by Dan Jones & Associates.