[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 118 (Friday, August 19, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
THE PEOPLE OF PINELLAS COUNTY, FL, HAVE THEIR SAY ON HEALTH CARE REFORM

                                 ______


                          HON. C.W. BILL YOUNG

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, August 19, 1994

  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, with the schedule announced 
earlier this month to consider health care reform legislation in August 
without giving us a chance to go home and discuss the latest proposals 
with our constituents, I decided to do the next best thing and send a 
questionnaire to every household in the 10th Congressional District of 
Florida which I have the honor to represent.
  Because of the cost, I rarely send district wide mailings, but this 
decision is too important to make without giving our constituents some 
opportunity to express their reaction to the numerous proposals to be 
considered.
  The results of this survey, which was sent out just 2 weeks ago, are 
very current. Already I have received more than 30,000 responses and 
they are still coming in every day in large numbers.
  Mr. Speaker, the overriding message I have received from my 
constituents is go slow on health care reform legislation and do it 
right, 62 percent of those more than 30,000 say Congress should spend 
more time listening to the thoughts of the American people rather than 
rush just to pass any kind of a bill this year.
  This is just one of the many responses to my survey.
  I will include the questions and answers in total following my 
remarks. A real attention getter is the lack of confidence people have 
expressed in any of the health care reform plans now being considered 
by Congress. Just 12 percent believe their health coverage will improve 
if any of the proposed plans are enacted; 62 percent believe their 
coverage will be worse.
  Seventy percent are sure of one thing, though, that health care 
reform legislation will drive up the national debt.
  More of the results show that 90 percent of those more than 30,000 
who responded already have some form of medical coverage and that three 
out of every four who have coverage are satisfied with their current 
plans. This explains why they do not want the Government to undermine 
the present health plans of the estimated 85 percent of the American 
people who have health coverage.
  Eighty-five percent insist that any health care reform legislation 
must protect their right to choose between an HMO-type program and/or a 
plan that allows them to select their own doctors. And two-thirds of 
those who answered the questionnaire oppose caps on health care 
expenditures that could lead to a rationing of health care services.
  The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is that our constituents want us to 
proceed with caution on any sweeping health care legislation and do 
what is right rather than what might be good politics.

                                     CONGRESSMAN YOUNG'S HEALTH CARE SURVEY                                     
                                                  [In percent]                                                  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Yes               No            No Opinion   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Are you currently covered by Medicare or a private of                                                        
 public health insurance plan?............................              0.90              0.09              0.01
2. If yes, are you satisfied with your plan?..............               .74               .15               .11
3. Would you like to see your plan replaced by a universal                                                      
 plan, that would cover everyone, financed and managed by                                                       
 the federal government?..................................               .25               .66               .10
4. Given what you know about the health care reform                                                             
 legislation to be voted on by Congress, do you believe                                                         
 your coverage will:......................................            \1\.12            \2\.62            \3\.26
5. Do you believe you have enough information about the                                                         
 health care reform legislation Congress will be voting on                                                      
 to properly judge it?....................................               .38               .56               .06
6. In order to finance this legislation, would you                                                              
 support:                                                                                                       
    a. a 45 cent per pack increase in the tax on                                                                
     cigarettes...........................................               .59               .34               .07
    b. a 1 percent payroll tax on businesses with 500 or                                                        
     more employees.......................................               .47               .41               .12
    c. a 2 percent tax on health insurance premiums paid                                                        
     by employers or employees............................               .25               .59               .15
    d. an increase in Medicare premiums...................               .15               .75               .10
    e. a reduction in Medicare payments to hospitals and                                                        
     doctors..............................................               .28               .60               .12
    f. an increase in the cost of health insurance                                                              
     premiums to be paid by employers and employees.......               .20               .65               .14
7. Do you believe that reductions in Medicare payments to                                                       
 hospitals and doctors might result in a reduction in the                                                       
 availability and quality of services for older Americans?               .71               .22               .07
8. Would you support an annual cap on federal health care                                                       
 expenditures if it might lead to the reduced availability                                                      
 of medical care?.........................................               .22               .66               .12
9. Should a new federal Medicare Part C program be                                                              
 established to subsidize health care premiums for low                                                          
 income families, part time workers, the unemployed, and                                                        
 small business employees?                                                                                      
10. Should the federal government require that private                                                          
 health plans cover abortions?............................               .33               .57               .10
11. Should the federal government, which currently pays                                                         
 for abortions only in cases of rape, incest, or where the                                                      
 life of the mother is in danger, pay for abortions in all                                                      
 other cases?.............................................                                                      
12. Should the federal government require that private                                                          
 health plans provide coverage for home health and long                                                         
 term care?...............................................               .64               .25               .12
13. Should this legislation ensure that every American                                                          
 have the option of choosing between a plan that allows                                                         
 them to select their own doctors or provides coverage                                                          
 through a health maintenance organization (HMO)?.........  ................  ................  ................
14. Do you believe the enactment of health care reform                                                          
 legislation will increase the national debt?.............               .70               .20               .10
15. Do you believe Congress should complete action on                                                           
 health care reform this year rather than spend more time                                                       
 listening to the thoughts of the American people?........               .31               .62               .07
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Improve.                                                                                                     
\2\Be worse.                                                                                                    
\3\Be about the same.                                                                                           



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