A Siena Research Poll found that 74 percent of New Yorkers believe the health care system is broken and call for reform. The poll also found that 35 percent of New Yorkers support President Barack Obama’s health care plan, with 26 percent opposing the plan and 39 percent on the fence about it.
The results were released by the Siena Research Institute on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
The health care plan the government is currently considering was in question by surveyors and they were asked to consider the effect it would have on private business, the likelihood of increased efficiencies, the impact it could have on seniors and the affordability and quality of health care reform they think the plan could bring.
Included in these results were other results that showed that one out of every seven households in New York has seen a family member laid off, or their work slowed, over the past six months and that this has mostly applied to lower income households.
The results showed that 70 percent of New York households say food is having a serious or very serious impact on the family budget, while 52 percent say they feel pressure about gasoline prices going up, 49 percent are impacted by health care costs and 78 percent of households are concerned about energy costs this coming winter.
As far as saving money, the results showed that less than 40 percent of New Yorkers have been able to save any money for retirement and 41 percent have a savings account with enough money in it to pay all household expenses for six months.
Sixty one percent of residents are concerned about their ability to continue to live at their current standard of living and 66 percent say they spend more time now than ever worrying about money.
The survey was conducted by random telephone call to 538 New York residents statewide over the age of 18. There is a margin of error of plus or minus 4 points.
For more on this story, check back at www.spotlightnews.com, or read the Wednesday, Aug. 19 print edition of the Colonie Spotlight.`