Study confirms most Americans want health care change but not abortion funding

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Washington D.C., Sep 23, 2009 / 06:08 pm (CNA).- A new study has found that while most Americans agree that changes must be made to the current health care system, the majority does not want their tax-dollars or health care premiums to go toward abortions.

The survey was commissioned by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and was conducted by International Communications Research (ICR). The pollster called 1,043 adults in the U.S. and asked questions about abortion coverage and health care reform and conscience protections.

According to a press release from the USCCB, the researchers found that 60% of Americans favor the idea of health care reform as well as affordable health insurance for everyone. Of those who favor reform, 60% oppose tax-payer funded abortion, while 25% were in favor of it.

The study also found that 49% of people pushing for reform oppose paying for abortion coverage through health insurance premiums. Thirty-nine percent disagreed.

Also among those favoring reform, 60% also were for maintaining conscious protections for doctors and nurses; 30% were opposed.

Among all 1,043 surveyed, 67% opposed tax-payer funded abortion and 56% opposed paying for abortions through insurance premiums.

Another question on the survey asked, “If the choice were up to you, would you want your own insurance policy to include abortion?” Among those surveyed, 68% said “no” and 24% said “yes.”

Deirdre McQuade, Assistant Director for Policy & Communications at the USCCB’s Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities noted that the new survey confirms the results of other recent studies done on health care reform and abortion.

“With each passing week it gets clearer: The American public generally does not want to pay for abortion coverage and does not want health care reform used to promote abortion,” she said.

“Abortion is not health care,” McQuade continued, remarking that the U.S. bishops are working “to ensure that health care reform serves the most vulnerable among us – especially the poor, immigrants, and the unborn.”

More information regarding the U.S. bishops and health care reform, can be found at: www.usccb.org/healthcare.

Comments: 6

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Nancy
Valley Stream NY 09/27/2009 08:34 AM EST

I think some provision should be made for the "uninsurable" and people shouldn't be dropped from insurance when they get sick. There are plenty of solutions beside government. But I work in health care and I kwow that there are many,many programs for the truly poor. Tbat is fine, but I rsent the fact that because of government meddling and politics, I make a good amount of money working 6 days a week but the only private insurance I can find is going up to 20% of my income in January, The policy also covers nothing but hospital. I live a helthy lifestyle and forego many things to buy my insurance. The so called "insurance exchange" proposed would not take effect for about three years and then it would cover only those without insurance and/or very low income people. Is it Christian to help the poor by making everyone else poor ?

Published by: WM
US 09/24/2009 09:17 PM EST

Sorry about the typeo – make that 625 people surveyed out of a population of 3 HUNDRED Million. The Bishops, as usual, are lost in left field by claiming authoritative expertise not only in matters of faith, but also economics, statistics, history, mathematics, politics, and every other applicable subject. Every socialist program is supposedly designed around ‘helping the downtrodden,’ but someone must pay for it. Certainly not the Bishops. (Medicare is already $38 TRILLION in debt but I’ve never heard the Bishops speak up for the working man who shoulders the burden while trying to feed his family). Our country arose from a little town called, St. Augustine, to a great nation on individual charity and responsibility instead of government programs. They must have been doing something right. The less-fortunate among us are charity’s raison d’etre but the Bishops would have us become even LESS Christian than we already are. Neither Christ nor the Apostles ever told Caesar to provide for the poor from the fruits of someone else’s labor. If the Bishops can demonstrate where Christ even hinted that the responsibility rightly falls on the State, I'll buy into it.

Published by: WM
US 09/24/2009 12:41 PM EST

1,043 people were surveyed. 60% (that's just 625 people) out of a US population of over 3 million want health care reform and you say, "Study CONFIRMS MOST Americans want health care change"?? Apparently, "statistics" isn't a required course in seminary.

Published by: Fr. Jim Anderson, M.S.A.
Santa Maria, CA, USA 09/24/2009 12:20 PM EST

You must distinguish improving our health care system from any government controlled system. I talk to many folks and none want a bill that creates another federal bureaucracy, even without abortion or the several eugenic dimensions favored by the current administration.

Published by: Annie
Wyoming 09/24/2009 09:43 AM EST

Something the Catholic News Agency does not talk about is the cuts to Medi Care..Many Seniors will be devastated by this and you do not mention it at all. By not being able to get good care, many older citizens will not be as productive as they are, and will spend their older years in pain that could be avoided. Seniors volunteer their time, and money to many worthwhile projects and I have not seen the CNA speak on their behalf....Where do you poll? Or maybe you do not care about Senior Citizens?

Published by: Sunnygirl
Moberly, MO 09/24/2009 06:18 AM EST

Most tax payers want change in the health care system, just not the type of change that is being proposed by this administration. But to say that most want health care change is misleading. I am against abortion funding for any reason.

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