USA Today Can't Read Its Own Health Care Poll

A new USA Today/Gallup poll confirms [1] the public supports health care reform paid for with a progressive tax plan.

The paper reports: "By 56%-33%, those surveyed endorse the idea of enacting major health care changes this year. Just one in four say it's not important to them. When it comes to financing the costs, six of 10 favor the idea of requiring employers to provide health insurance for their workers or pay a fee instead. Increasing income taxes on upper-income Americans, an approach backed by House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is endorsed by 58%. Just over half support taxing sugary soft drinks."

Great. A solid majority wants reform now, and supports a multi-pronged approach to pay for it.

Then how did USA Today come up with this headline? [1] "Poll: Americans want health care bill, but not the cost"

Or this lede? "Most Americans say it's important to overhaul health care this year, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, but they are less enthusiastic about some of the proposals to pay for it."

Uh, slightly MORE people backed the proposals for a employer mandate and for tax increase on high-income households than the 56% demanding reform this year.

The only notes of discord are widespread opposition to "limits on getting whatever tests or treatments they and their doctors think are necessary" and a slim majority opposing "taxing health care benefits above a certain level."

The former is NOT A PROPOSAL. No one has proposed limiting a whit of treatment a doctor deems necessary.

The latter is just one tax proposal. While the public supports at least three others according to the poll.

Not exactly a deep aversion to responsibly paying for reform.

Newsflash to USA Today: Read your own poll.