Posted by
Defend America on Sunday, March 14, 2010 12:39:53 PM
Seniors' Concerns Loom In Votes On Reform
Ronald Brownstein
Thursday, March 11, 2010 4:00 PM
Demographic trends could compound the political challenges Democrats
face in their struggle to assemble a majority for health care reform in
the House of Representatives. As the following tables show, about
two-thirds of the roughly 100 Democratic House members who are not
considered firm supporters of the legislation represent districts where
senior citizens represent a larger share of the population than they do
nationally (12.6 percent); in polls many seniors have expressed concern
that the reform package will hurt Medicare.
On the other hand, only about 40 of the target Democrats represent
districts where the share of residents without health insurance exceeds
the national average of 15 percent.
These figures on access to insurance are drawn
from the Census Bureau's 2008 American Community Survey, which produced
a slightly different overall rate of insurance coverage for the nation
than the bureau's annual report on health insurance. That report uses
another survey (the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the
Current Population Survey) to calculate its figures. The annual report
placed the share of Americans without health insurance at 15.4 percent;
the ACS put it at 15 percent. The district level and national figures
on the senior population are drawn from a three-year average of the
American Community Survey that the Census Bureau publishes.
When the House
initially passed
the health care bill last November, 39 Democrats voted no. Of those, 17
represent districts where the share of residents without health
insurance exceeds the national average. Four no votes --
Chet Edwards of Texas,
Dan Boren of Oklahoma,
Harry Teague of New Mexico, and
Mike McIntyre
of North Carolina -- represent districts where at least 20 percent of
residents lacked health insurance. All four are currently expected to
vote no again when the final bill reaches the floor.
Meanwhile, of the initial 39 no votes, 25 represent districts where
seniors exceed their national share of the population. These members
include some of the leadership's top targets in the final scramble for
votes, including Pennsylvania's
Jason Altmire and
John Adler of New Jersey.
http://healthtopic.nationaljournal.com/2010/03/seniors-concerns-loom-in-votes.php#133559p