Poll: Californians support stronger regulation of insurance rates

The ballot initiative, which will likely be the subject of a costly campaign battle, is championed by consumer groups but opposed by many in the medical and insurance industries.

Los Angeles Times: Poll: 69% Favor Prop. 45 Measure On Regulating Health Insurance Rates
A new poll shows 69 percent of California voters back Proposition 45, a November ballot measure giving the insurance commissioner the power to stop excessive health-insurance rate increases. The Field Poll released Wednesday indicates broad support statewide for Proposition 45 ahead of what's expected to be a costly and contentious battle between consumer groups and health insurers (Terhune, 8/20).

Kaiser Health News: Californians Favor Tougher Rules On Health Insurance Rates, Survey Says
California voters are showing strong early support for a ballot initiative that would expand the state's authority to regulate health insurance rates. Nearly 7 of every 10 respondents indicated that they would vote in favor of Proposition 45, while 16 percent would vote against it, according to an independent poll released Wednesday by the Field Research Corp. in San Francisco (Shen, 8/20).

The Sacramento Bee: Field Poll: Strong Support For California Health Insurance Rate-Regulation Measure
The survey comes ahead of what are expected to be two of the most expensive and hard-fought statewide campaigns of the election cycle. Proponents of the measures include the politically influential trial attorneys and consumer groups who argue more must be done to prevent steep health insurance rate increases and to deter negligence by making doctors accountable for their medical errors. Opponents from the powerful medical and insurance industries argue the measures concentrate too much power under one politician and stand to financially benefit supporters at great expense to taxpayers (Cadelago, 8/20).

Contra Costa Times: Poll: Californians Strongly Support Measure Regulating Health Insurance Rates
The measure is being championed by Consumer Watchdog, the same group that pushed through a landmark 1988 proposition that created an elected California insurance commissioner and required insurers to publicly justify auto and homeowner's insurance rate changes and get the commissioner's approval before they go into effect. Proposition 45 would extend that requirement to include health insurance (Seipel, 8/20).