America's Feelings on Children's Health Care

Even though most Americans trust democrats more than republicans to handle the health insurance needs of children, more Americans agree with President Bush’s plan for children’s health insurance than the number who agree with the plans by leading democrats.

A USA Today/Gallup Poll taken October 12-14, 2007, found that 52 percent of Americans have more confidence in democrats to handle the children’s health insurance bill. President Bush vetoed a five-year, $35-billion expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Democrats are attempting to override Bush’s veto. Only one-third of Americans, some 32 percent, have more confidence with President Bush’s ability to handle the children’s health insurance bill.

Democrats want to allow a family of four that earns $61,000 to qualify for the children’s health insurance program. But President Bush wants most of the kids’ insurance increases to go to families who earn less than $41,000 each year. More Americans support President Bush’s plan than the democratic plan by a 52-to-40 percent margin.

The poll overall found that most Americans are at least somewhat concerned that the $35-billion expansion of the program would promote more middle-class citizens to stop using their private health insurance so they can get the benefits of the expanded public program. Twenty-two percent of those polled in the survey said they were very concerned that the program expansion would mean more people would drop their insurance, and 33 percent said they were somewhat concerned. Forty-two percent said they were either not too concerned or not concerned at all.