Latino Decisions and impreMedia in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Center for Health Policy at the University of New Mexico will be releasing data from a new survey focused on the Latino electorate’s attitudes and experiences with health care policy on Thursday, October 13, 2011. The October survey is the fifth of six monthly tracking polls in 2011. impreMedia is the leading Hispanic News and Information Company in the U.S. in Online and Print. impreMedia’s multi-platform offerings range from Online to Video, Social Media, Mobile, Audio, Newspapers and Magazines, including the www.impre.com portal. 25.5% of all U.S. Hispanic adults use an impreMedia network product. Its leading publications include La Opinión in Los Angeles and El Diario in New York. A collaboration of the University of New Mexico and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the RWJF Center for Health Policy focuses on inserting the perspectives of Latino, American Indian and other underrepresented groups into the most pressing health policy debates today.
The Latino Decisions Tracking Poll was launched in 2010 during the midterm election and is the only on-going political tracking poll of Latino registered voters in the nation. In partnership with impreMedia, we will continue the poll through 2011 as Latino voters assess the new Congress, the President and the most important issues leading up to the 2012 presidential election.
Although the individual mandate is not set to take effect until 2014, this component of Affordable Care Act is definitely the most controversial. Since the passage of the law there has been a largely symbolic repeal passed by the Republican majority House of Representatives, a multi-state lawsuit challenging it’s constitutionality, and wide speculation that the Supreme Court will rule on this case next year. As the President’s signature domestic policy achievement, health care reform will undoubtedly play a large role in the upcoming presidential election. It is therefore an ideal time to capture the views of the electorate toward health care policy. The Latino electorate’s attitudes are particularly important, as Latinos have the lowest rates of insurance coverage in the nation, and therefore arguably have the most to lose if the law is repealed.
An extensive list of health care policy questions were fielded, and among the results to be released on Thursday are:
_ In a recent debate, all of the Republican Presidential candidates for 2012 stated that they would try to repeal the health care reform law signed by President Obama in 2010. Do you think the entire health care reform bill of 2010 should be repealed, or should it be left to stand as law?
_As you may know, that legislation included a provision that will require all Americans who do not have health insurance to purchase health insurance, or pay a fine. Do you favor or oppose this aspect of the law?
_ Thinking more specifically about this law. Under the new health reform plan, do you think your ability to get and keep health insurance will get better, worse or will it stay about the same?
_ How about the quality of your own health care: will get better, worse or will it stay about the same?
_ Thinking about the current state of health care in the U.S., who do you trust to make the right decisions when it comes to health care policy, President Obama and the Democrats, or the Republicans?
_ Please tell me if you think lawmakers should keep or repeal the following aspects of the health reform bill that was signed into law:
- The law that provides tax credits to small businesses that offer coverage to their employees.
- The law that gradually closes the Medicare prescription drug ‘doughnut hole’ or coverage gap so seniors will no longer be required to pay the full cost of their medications when they reach the gap.
- The law that will prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage because of a person’s medical history or health condition.
- The law that will provide financial help to low and moderate income Americans who don’t get insurance through their jobs to help them purchase coverage.
