IFAwebnews Staff
August 14, 2009
Two-thirds of Americans would like to see health care costs cut in ways different than President Barack Obama and Congress are considering in their health insurance reform plans. The majority of respondents believe national tort reform laws to reduce the number of frivolous lawsuits against doctors and hospitals will be the most effective way to lower health care costs, according to a national survey by message research firm M4 Strategies. In a poll of 1,001 U.S. residents conducted from July 24-27, when asked which would likely have a greater impact in reducing Americans’ health care costs, 45% of respondents said national tort reform would be most effective and 16% said they did not know. About 40% said free health insurance for the poor would have the most impact. The survey has a 3.1% margin of error. “It’s clear that Americans aren’t buying Obama’s claim that his health care plan will reduce long term health care costs,” said Chris St. Hilaire, president of Costa Mesa, Calif.-based M4 Strategies. “More people also believe that tort reform, which Obama opposes, is a better way to cut costs than what he’s proposing.”
