Poll: Americans OK with Public option as long as it’s for someone else

A new Rasmussen poll finds most Americans don’t mind the idea of a public option, they just don’t want to be stuck in it themselves.

The fear of being forced to change insurance coverage can be seen in results from a pair of survey questions.

The first question finds that 46% favor the creation of a government-sponsored non-profit health insurance option that people could choose instead of a private health insurance plan. Thirty-seven percent (37%) are opposed.

The second question asked about the creation of a public option if it encouraged companies to drop private health insurance coverage for their workers. Given that possibility, support for the public option falls to 29%, and opposition rises to 58%.

Even if it encourages employers to drop private health insurance for their workers, 51% of Democrats still support the public option. Eighty-two percent (82%) of Republicans and 61% of voters not affiliated with either party are opposed.

Maybe liberals really do believe government is benevolent and being stuck in a government health plan wouldn’t be so bad. Or, they don’t believe the public option will destroy their health insurance. I wonder what they would think if the question was “Would you support a public option if the next congress and president are republicans? Would you feel comfortable knowing republicans will be running your health care?”

Americans who aren’t liberal are wise to believe a public option could endanger their own health insurance plans.