Here’s a look at seven of the most common myths, versus what American voters actually think:

Myth #1: Americans are clamoring for health care reform.
They aren’t. Only 5% of voters cite health care as either the top issue facing the country, as the biggest problem facing their daily lives or even as the greatest fear they have for themselves or their families. In fact when given a specific list of issues to choose from, health care comes in far behind the top concerns of 95% of American voters.

Myth #2: The U.S. Health Care system needs a complete overhaul.
Says who? Not American voters. Slightly more voters (47%) say that our health care system can be fixed with some minor reforms versus those who say it needs a radical overhaul (44%).

Myth #3: Coverage for the uninsured is the major problem facing the U.S. Health Care system.
By nearly a 3 to 1 margin, these voters see rising health care and health insurance costs as the biggest problem over too many being without insurance coverage. While government takeover advocates are fond of talking about millions of uninsured Americans, they generally fail to mention that many of those are uninsured by choice, or only temporarily uninsured. Yet this single misleading statistic remains a favorite of Congressional liberals as they make the case for a government takeover.

Myth #4: Government, not free market competition, is the best way to reduce health care costs.
Again, false. Clear majorities say that MORE competition among health care providers will do more to lower costs than increased government involvement. Further, pluralities believe that increased government involvement will cause health care costs and insurance premiums to go up. Americans undoubtedly feel this way because there are few (if any) examples where government involvement in any endeavor, let alone health care, actually caused prices to go down.

Myth #5: Americans are more open/accepting of government-run health care solution.
A clear and strong majority of voters prefer a private run health care system over a government-run system. Fully 55% of American voters say, if given the choice, they would opt for a private health care solution over a government solution. Only 37% would opt for a government takeover of health care.

Myth #6: Americans understand we must sacrifice to ensure coverage for all.
When pitted head to head, large majorities of voters (69%) choose a private run health care system that doesn’t cover all Americans, but protects everyone’s fundamental right to make their own health care choices, over a government-run system that covers everyone but restricts certain health care options (18%).

Myth #7: Americans want a health care system more like Canada and/or Great Britain.
Voters have mixed opinions about the Canadian and British health care systems with a sizeable number not having a firm opinion on either. But, more than 3 in 4 voters say they would most prefer to get treatment or health care services here in the U.S. over either Canada or Great Britain.

Contrary to the conventional wisdom in Washington, voters are NOT willing to commit to a radical overhaul of our health care system. They are clearly suspicious of more government involvement and think it won’t drive down costs — which is their biggest complaint about the current health care system. A clear and large majority still prefer a private-run over a government-run system. Moreover, when faced with the potential choice of giving up their fundamental health care rights to ensure universal coverage, majorities are unwilling to do so.

In sharp contrast to these myths, American voters enthusiastically rally around the basic reform principles promoted by Conservatives for Patients’ Rights — Choice, Competition, Accountability and Personal Responsibility, by overwhelming margins. For example, 87% of voters believe individuals should receive the same tax breaks as employers when buying health insurance. An astounding 97% want the freedom to choose their own doctor without restriction from government or insurance plans. And 87% of Americans want health care providers and doctors to publicly post their prices so they can shop and compare.

As the health care debate continues, it is clear that Americans overwhelmingly demand free market health care. As others continue to push myths, Conservatives for Patients’ Rights will continue to educate Americans on the real agenda of Congressional health care reform, promote our key principles and serve as an early warning system against more government boards and power grabs.

Please review tax percentages before making dishonest responses. Deborah, a handout is a handout. Remember the saying: “Give a man a fish he has food for a day, teach a a man to fish he has food for the rest of his life”. We create dependants by giving handouts who are not contributors. There are those who through no fault of their own fall on hard times and need help, but it should be temporary. There is a VERY small number of people who are unable to perform any kind of work who will need help the rest of their lives and I believe we should help those people. If we don’t teach our people to become independant and self reliant we become a welfare state like England and Canada and will have fewer people becoming physicians and more leaving the country to go elsewhere for better pay and working conditions. This is a fact that has been seen in both countries. Upcoming will be long waits for certain procedures of which legislators will determined to be of a lower priority than others which will invariably cost more in the longterm. We should not take our lessons from countries where the people constantly complain about healthcare!
We become a poor people by stealing from the haves and giving to the “have-nots”. Stealing is stealing even when we don’t like how a person obtained his money! Just because a person has money does not make it right to hate them. Express you feelings with others, sign petitions, set up boycotts be more proactive rather than expecting government to solve all our problems.
Government cannot and should not try to run everything.
The founding fathers of this country fought to get away from such ridiculous socialistic and communistic thought!
“A Government Big Enough to Give You Everything You Want is Powerful Enough to Take Everything You Have” — Thomas Jefferson

Mayo’s support of co-ops is misguided at best. Current research demonstrates that they not only will be unable to compete with huge private for-profit plans but would add another layer of bureaucracy to the massive number of health insurance companies- 3178 at last count. And co-ops, like the public option, will not save money.

Harvard physician David Himmelstein has written that a single-payer extension of Medicare For All will SAVE at least $400 billion each year if politicians could bite the bullet and remove insurance companies from the system. This huge savings could pay for an expanded Medicare program that should be able to reimburse, clinics, hospitals, and primary care physicians at a much higher level. Keep in mind that it was the Bush Administration and his supporters in Congress that systematically reduced reimbursements in an effort to cripple Medicare.

Why try to institute another public plan when we already have one in place? A universal plan has four major benefits in addition to the obvious economic benefit:
1. Medicaid would become part of Medicare, thus providing states with immediate relief,
2. getting rid of the accounting nightmare at every clinic, hospital, and physician’s office,
3. there would be a greater emphasis on preventive medicine, and
4. families would no longer face bankruptcy
because of high medical bills.

Lynn Howard Ehrle, Senior Biomedical Policy Analyst, Organic Consumers Association
ehrlebird@organicconsumers.org