No ranting link about design, and healthcare

Okay, so a mixed bag. The subtitle of this could be, "What I read on my lunch break." Yeah, I'm weird that way.

I know I complain about those who practice my profession who have no idea just WTF they're doing. And then there are time when the clouds open and angels sing (visual map/informational graphic of manned and unmanned space missions - National Geographic). Those times remind me that not all graphic designers/visual communicators are skanks or weasels. (Grokked from Jay Lake and Dark Roasted Blend)

Some more Gallup polls on healthcare. A poll on the healthcare system and proposed bills which shows some interesting breakdowns (this report give statistics for all questions asked, including ratings of degree). Really interesting results including how people use their own healthcare, what they think the problems are, etc and includes historical data through the past decade and even questions from the expansion of CHIP two years ago. And another one entitled Five Key Realities. This one has an interesting mix showing how we view healthcare and what people are looking for. The overall sense of these reports (the second one links to many other reports) is that most people are happy with their own coverage, think that changes may impact them negatively, but also believe it is the government's job to make sure healthcare is provided to everybody. The money shot?

"Emphasizing the most popular aspects of healthcare reform -- of which there are several -- could potentially help reform proponents... assumes Americans are not already fully cognizant that healthcare reform would achieve these objectives. Alternatively, Americans... have overriding reservations about other aspects of the bill, such as the cost."

The general quibbling has less to do with the "Public Option" than it does over other aspects of the bill. If I were advising Congress in favor of reform, I would tell them to move the conversation off the Public Option (which we only seem to hear about) and focus on the other parts of the bill. Considering a majority will support a bill with the Public Option, they should solidify that support by emphasizing the other things these bills would do (remove limits and pre-existing conditions, expand coverage, expand and increase medicare payments, etc). And then say, "plus, we have a Public Option" (Medicare +5 works better than fee negotiation, although plain Medicare doesn't poll as well).