Many more people blame the insurance industry for rising health care costs than blame anyone else. When asked who is most to blame, 41% of adults blame insurance companies compared to far fewer who blame the pharmaceutical companies (16%), the government (16%), hospitals (6%), or physicians (4%).

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll, a new nationwide survey of 2,119 U.S. adults surveyed online between October 16 and 20, 2008 by Harris Interactive.

The survey found that large pluralities of people in all demographic groups are much more likely to blame the insurance industry than anyone else, whether they are young or old, male or female, rich or poor, live in the East, Midwest, South or West or are a Republican, Democrat or Independent.

This Harris Poll also found that a lopsided 67% to 18% majority of adults think it is more important to provide basic health insurance for those who are now uninsured than to prove provide better benefits to those with health insurance. While majorities of all demographic groups feel this way, the largest majorities favoring coverage of the uninsured are found among African-Americans (by 80% to 11%) and Democrats (by 80% to 10%). But most Republicans and whites agree with them.

The survey also measured public perceptions of which of the two leading presidential candidates would do a better job on four health care and social issues. Senator Barack Obama led Senator John McCain on all four issues;

• By 51% to 16% on reducing the uninsured
• By 44% to 24% on controlling the cost of health care
• By 40% to 28% on dealing with Medicare
• By 39% to 29% on dealing with Social Security.

So What?

These survey results point to several conclusions. Firstly, insurance companies are seen more to blame than any other health care players. One reason is that they, unlike drug companies, physicians or hospitals, do not provide any treatment or care.

Secondly, health care (which was second only to the economy in importance in the most recent Harris Poll on issues) continues to be a strong issue for Senator Obama, even if many people don’t understand the details of the candidates’ complicated health care policies.

Thirdly, the desire for universal health insurance, difficult and expensive as that may be, is still very strong, even though it would not be achieved the by policy proposals of either candidate.