Pharmas despised slightly less than insurers, says poll

Americans blame health insurance companies more than pharmas for problems with the US healthcare system – but not by much.

An August Harris Interactive poll of 2,498 US adults found that 90% of respondents blame insurers for the state of American healthcare, with 60% saying insurers deserve a “great deal of blame.” But pharmaceutical companies were right behind them in the blame game, with 84% of respondents saying the drug industry is to blame and 53% assigning it a great deal of the blame.

Next up: Republicans in Congress (74%); business (72%); hospitals (70%); Democrats in Congress (69%); former President George W. Bush (66%); and doctors (61%).

The poll found a 49% to 40% plurality of adults in support of President Obama’s proposed healthcare reform. That compares to a 50% to 20% plurality in favor as of January.