Iowans Want Health Care Focused on Lower Costs

Now, I could say something about AARP stealing my corn idea at the Iowa State Fair. But I won't:)

AARP had fair goers drop a kernel into jars to determine their top priority for health care reform. And it looks like the price is right...or the price isn't right in this case(Incidentally, "The Price is Right. Vote for Dave" was my slogan when I ran for student council in fifth grade, but lost to my friend, Doug. Yes, I'm still bitter, Doug, wherever you are!)

Here's the release from AARP:

DES MOINES - Aug. 26, 2009 – Iowa State Fair-goers overwhelmingly cast their kernels for lowering health care costs as the top reason they support health care reform, according to a “corn kernel” straw poll AARP conducted in the Varied Industries building at the Iowa State Fair, Aug. 13-23.

Fairgoers dropped corn kernels into pickle jars to vote for their top two concerns: lowering costs, improving access, reducing costs of prescription drugs and strengthening Medicare.

At the fair’s end on Sunday, the “lower costs” jar had almost as many kernels as the other jars combined with a total of 16,900 kernels counted, vs. 8,600 kernels in the reducing costs of prescription drugs; 5,900 kernels in the strengthening Medicare; and 4,000 kernels in the improving access jars.

“While not scientific, our corn poll confirms what we’ve been hearing from our members across the state and across the country, that controlling cost is the most urgent need in health care reform,” said AARP Iowa State Director Bruce Koeppl.

AARP estimates that approximately 17,700 fairgoers age 18 and over participated in the “what’s at the heart of health care reform for you” vote during the fair. AARP volunteer State President Tony Vola of Des Moines, who was among the more than 80 Iowa AARP volunteers who staffed the booth during the 11 days of the fair, said the most often heard comment was, “we’ve sure got to do something.” “There’s no doubt about it, there is very strong interest in health reform and the primary concern is all about lowering costs,” Vola added.