Sunday, October 11, 2009
The White House and top Democrats, escalating their push to build support for their party's health overhaul proposals, are increasingly targeting women, a politically crucial group with strong opinions on health care that polls suggest has yet to be sold on the changes.
A current Associated Press-GfK poll found that women, like the public overall, are generally split on the health care legislation. Although younger women those under 55 who many opinion experts consider crucial in any health care debate slightly favor the proposals, nearly one-third of them are on the fence, saying they are neither supportive nor opposed.
The congressional bills would entail all Americans to get health insurance, either through an employer, a government program or on their own. Tax credits would be offered for many of those who buy their own coverage but failure to comply could result in a fine. Insurance companies could no longer deny coverage because of a pre-existing condition, and out-of-pocket costs would be capped.
In recent days, Democrats have argued there would be harmful consequences for women under GOP health proposals and have highlighted positions they characterize as sexist. "Women are the primary audience for anyone who's talking about this issue because we do make the health care decisions for the family," said Amy Menefee of Patients First, a conservative group opposed to the health overhaul. "They want to know how this is going to affect their jobs, their husbands' jobs, their Medicare, their children."
A current Associated Press-GfK poll found that women, like the public overall, are generally split on the health care legislation. Although younger women those under 55 who many opinion experts consider crucial in any health care debate slightly favor the proposals, nearly one-third of them are on the fence, saying they are neither supportive nor opposed.
The congressional bills would entail all Americans to get health insurance, either through an employer, a government program or on their own. Tax credits would be offered for many of those who buy their own coverage but failure to comply could result in a fine. Insurance companies could no longer deny coverage because of a pre-existing condition, and out-of-pocket costs would be capped.
In recent days, Democrats have argued there would be harmful consequences for women under GOP health proposals and have highlighted positions they characterize as sexist. "Women are the primary audience for anyone who's talking about this issue because we do make the health care decisions for the family," said Amy Menefee of Patients First, a conservative group opposed to the health overhaul. "They want to know how this is going to affect their jobs, their husbands' jobs, their Medicare, their children."
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