1. The Public Opinion Landscape: Health Care

4. ECONOMIC CONCERNS TOP MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEMS:Healthcare Continues to be a Low Priority Since Spiking Moderately During the Reform Debate 2 What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today? Unemploy. Economy in general Healthcare Source: Gallup Poll, September 8-11, 2011

5. 3 Views on Reform

6. OVERALL, OPPOSITION TO HEALTH REFORM LAW REMAINS STRONGER THAN SUPPORT Health Care Plan: Favor / Oppose As of August 15th OPPOSE: 45% FAVOR: 38% President Obama signs health care reform bill into law on March 23, 2010 Source: Pollster.com Aggregate Data, as of August 15, 2011

7. 5 VIEWS ON HEALTH REFORM LAW REMAIN STRONGLY PARTISAN As you may know, a new health reform bill was signed into law early last year. Given what you know about the health reform law, do you have a generally favorable or generally unfavorable opinion of it? Very favorable Total Somewhat favorable Democrats Somewhat unfavorable Very unfavorable Independents Republicans Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll, September 7-12, 2011

8. 6 FEW HAVE FELT LAW’S EFFECTTHOSE WHO HAVE CITE INCREASED ACCESS AND COST So far, would you say you and your family have been negatively affected by the health reform law, or not? So far, would you say you and your family have personally benefitted from the health reform law, or not? 18% Yes 78% No 83% No 15% Yes 4% DK/REF 2% DK/REF Most common benefit: Access to health care (39%) Most common negative: Cost (52%) Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Polls, July 13-18, 2011

9. MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT LAW’S PERSONAL IMPACT AND IMPACT ON THE COUNTRY Do you think [you and your family / the country as a whole]will be better off or worse off under the new health reform law, or don’t you think it will make much difference? 7 Note: “Depends” (vol.) and Don’t know / Refused answers not shown. Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Polls, Sept 7-12, 2011

10. HALF EXPECT ACCESS FOR UNINSURED TO GET BETTER, BUT FEWER FORESEE IMPROVEMENT IN CONSUMER PROTECTIONS, QUALITY OR COSTS Under the health reform law, do you think each of the following will get better, worse or will it stay about the same? Get better Access to health care for the uninsured Stay about the same Consumer protections for the average person with private health insurance Get worse The quality of health care in the nation The cost of health care for the nation as a whole 8 Note: Don’t know/Refused answers not shown. Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll, July 13-18, 2011

11. 9 Views of Medicare & Reactions to Program Changes

12. TWO-THIRDS SEE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS IN MEDICARE; REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS MORE LIKELY TO SAY IT HAS MAJOR FINANCIAL PROBLEMS Which of the following statements comes closest to your view of the Medicare program? The program… Is in financial CRISIS Has MAJOR problems, but is NOT in financial crisis Total Has MINOR problems Democrats Has NO problems Independents Republicans 10 Note: Don’t know/Refused answers not shown. Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll, June 9-14, 2011

13. HALF OR MORE OPPOSE REDUCTIONS TO SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE If the super committee recommends reducing the deficit by reducing federal spending, I’d like to know in which areas you would be willing to see spending reduced. For each area I name, please tell me if you would support major spending reductions, minor spending reductions or no reductions at all as a way to reduce the federal deficit. No reductions at all Major reductions Minor reductions Social security Medicare Medicaid Defense 11 Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Polls, September 7-12, 2011

14. MOST SAY BUDGET PROBLEMS CAN BE ADDRESSED WITHOUT CUTTING MEDICARE 12 Do you think reductions in Medicare spending should be part of any discussion about reducing the federal deficit over the long term, or do you think the country’s budgetary problems can be addressed without reductions in Medicare spending? 67% Country’s budgetary problems can be addressed without reductions in Medicare 28% Reductions in Medicare should be part of any discussion about reducing the deficit 5% DK / Refused Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll, July 13-18, 2011

15. 13 Rising Cost of Health Care

16. HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS & WORKERS’ CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE SKYROCKETED; OUTPACE EARNINGS AND INFLATION Source: Kaiser/HRET Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Benefits, 1999-2011. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, U.S. City Average of Annual Inflation (April to April), 1999-2011; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Seasonally Adjusted Data from the Current Employment Statistics Survey, 1999-2011 (April to April). 14

17. AVERAGE ANNUAL PREMIUMS HAVE GREATLY INCREASED * Estimate is statistically different from estimate for the previous year shown (p<.05). 15 Source: Kaiser/HRET Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Benefits, 1999-2011

18. HALF OR MORE OF PRIVATELY INSURED REPORT INCREASES IN HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS AND DEDUCTIBLES & CO-PAYS BASED ON THOSE AGES 18-64 WHO HAVE PRIVATE INSURANCE Health Insurance Premiums Deductible and Co-Pay Expenses Holding steady Going up Going up Holding steady Going 1% Down Don’t know/ Refused Going 2% Down Don’t know/ Refused Don’t pay anything toward premiums (vol.) 16 Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll, July 13-18, 2011

19. FRAUD/WASTE AND DRUG AND INSURANCE COMPANY PROFITS SEEN AS BIGGEST DRIVERS OF RISING COSTS; 35% CITE HEALTH REFORM LAW Percent who say each is a “major reason” for rising health care costs: 17 Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll, July 13-18, 2011

20. 18 The Players

21. MAJORITY CONTINUE TO DISAPPROVE OF OBAMA’S HANDLING OF HEALTH CARE 19 As of Sep. 27th Disapprove 53% 38% Approve President Obama signs health care reform bill into law on March 23, 2010 Source: Pollster.com composite measure, as of September 27, 2011

22. 20 DEMOCRATS SEEN AS BETTER ABLE TO HANDLE HEALTH CARE THAN REPUBLICANS; CONGRESSIONAL DEMS SEEN AS BETTER ABLE TO HANDLE THAN OBAMA Republicans in Congress President Obama Republicans in Congress Democrats in Congress Now, I would like to read you a list of issues that some people from this part of the country have said are important for the Congress to deal with. Please listen as I read the list and tell me, for each one, who will better handle this issue -- Republicans in Congress or [Democrats in Congress / President Obama]? Note: “Both”, “Neither”, “Unsure” results not shown Source: Politico/GW Battleground Poll, August 28 – Sept 1, 2011

23. 21 Information Flow About Charter Schools SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN VIEWS TOWARD HEALTH-RELATED INDUSTRIES SINCE 2009; HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES STILL VIEWED MORE NEGATIVELY THAN POSITIVELY *Difference Between Good Job/Bad Job Source: The Harris Poll, August 8-15, 2011

24. 22 GPG Research GPG has a full-scale internal research team offering the full complement of qualitative and quantitative public opinion research services. We use research to inform message development and communication strategy, as well as to help clients assess and monitor critical issues and track the effectiveness of strategic communication campaigns. GPG has a deep experience conducting research about complex health care topics with diverse audiences. We go beyond the standard Q&A, using innovative, projective techniques to uncover key insights. The result is actionable research that helps shape our clients’ messaging and strategy. For more information about this presentation or to find out more about GPG’s research capabilities contact: Susan Kannel (skannel@gpgdc.com) I Chris Gallup (cgallup@gpgdc.com)