Public Opinion
The following publications are a combination of relevant documents from the Center for Children and Families (CCF) and other organizations. Go to the Publications section for a list of all CCF documents. For research related to specific policy issues, including SCHIP reauthorization, see the Federal Policy section.
- Worry and Neglect: Californians Respond to the Rising Cost of Care
California HealthCare Foundation
July 2008The California HealthCare Foundation commissioned Harris Interactive to survey a representative sample of the state's population to seek out attitudes about health costs. The findings reveal that Californians have significant concerns about being able to afford health care services when they need them. Almost half say they worry a great deal or quite a lot about being unable to get care due to excessive cost. Just over half are worried about having enough coverage after retirement. Hispanics are significantly more worried about cost than Non-Hispanics. Further, Californians are stepping up efforts to control their costs by increasingly neglecting needed care and seeking less expensive prescription drugs.
- Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: Election 2008
Kaiser Family Foundation
June 2008In thinking about health care costs, voters are more troubled by their personal costs than by national health spending. Nearly half say they are most worried about increases in what the average American pays out-of-pocket for health care and for insurance. In comparison, two in 10 say they are most concerned about increases in how much the U.S. as a whole spends on health care; smaller numbers cite increases in spending on public health insurance programs or increases in what employers pay for their workers' health insurance. The poll also probes public opinion about some potential elements of health reform.
- Survey Brief: Economic Problems Facing Families
Kaiser Family Foundation
April 2008In this Survey Brief, the Kaiser Family Foundation takes a closer look at the public’s reports of how changes in the economy are affecting them and their families personally, with an in-depth look at reported problems accessing and paying for health care in particular. It finds that health care costs rank among Americans’ top personal economic problems, and their struggles to deal with those costs have affected both their financial well-being and their family’s health care.
- Health Care and Elections
Kaiser Family Foundation
April 2008In light of the upcoming presidential election, this Public Opinion Spotlight provides an examination of recent public opinion data and historical trends in order to give some insight into the role health care might play as an election issue. It analyzes the priority the public puts on health care issues as well as differences in views by party identification and age. In addition, it highlights several groups to watch in the 2008 presidential election, such as political independents, health-focused voters, and the uninsured.
- Public Views on SCHIP Reauthorization
National Public Radio, Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Harvard School of Public Health
October 2007The survey, conducted in October 2007, assessed the public’s familiarity with the SCHIP debate, whether or not they support renewal and expansion of the program, and whom they believe should be eligible for health coverage through SCHIP. Given the basic parameters of the expansion—its cost, the number of new children who would be covered, and how it would be paid for—seven in 10 Americans said they backed the plan. Even when presented with the pros and cons, support stayed at 65%.
- Public Perceptions of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
Public Opinion Strategies and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
August 2007An August 2007, national survey of 900 registered likely voters found an overwhelming level of support (86%) for SCHIP reauthorization, even when respondents were told the costs (77% still favored reauthorization). There was also significant public support for expanding SCHIP to cover an additional four million uninsured children.
- New Bipartisan Survey Finds Americans Strongly Support Expanding SCHIP and Extending Health Coverage to More Uninsured Children
Center for Children and Families
July 2007A national survey conducted in June-July 2007 examines public opinion about SCHIP and proposed changes raised during its 2007 reauthorization. This issue brief details the survey findings, showing a strikingly high level of public and bipartisan support for covering children.
- Health Care Opinion Leaders' Views on Priorities for SCHIP Reauthorization
Katherine Shea, Karen Davis, Anne Gauthier, Rachel Nuzum, and Barry Scho, Commonwealth Fund
April 2007This survey highlights the perspectives of a diverse group of experts on issues related to the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in 2007, showing widespread support for the program and its expansion to cover more low-income children. Most survey respondents, 91%, were in favor of allowing legal immigrant children who would be eligible based on income to participate in SCHIP. Other favored eligibility expansions include covering children in families with income up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level (88% of respondents) and permitting families above the eligibility level to “buy into" SCHIP coverage by paying a premium to cover the cost of benefits (82%).
- Election Survey Finds Broad Support for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program
Center for Children and Families
December 2006This issue brief reviews the results of a survey of 1,000 voters during the 2006-midterm elections (November 6-7, 2006) on their opinions about future funding for SCHIP. The results show that more than 8 in 10 voters want to increase spending and expand the number of children covered; while only a small percentage (14 percent) of those queried believe that the incoming Congress should maintain the current funding level.