Poll: Support Falling for Calif. Rate Regulation, Drug Testing Initiatives

California voters' support for two November ballot initiatives related to health insurance rate regulation and random drug testing of physicians is declining, according to a new Field Poll, the Sacramento Bee reports (Cadelago, Sacramento Bee, 9/11).

The poll, conducted between Aug. 14 and Aug. 28, included 467 registered voters (Colliver, San Francisco Chronicle, 9/11).

Support for Prop. 45

According to the poll, support for Proposition 45 -- which would give the state insurance commissioner the authority to reject health insurance rate increases -- fell to 41%, down from nearly 70% earlier this year. Meanwhile, 26% of respondents opposed Prop. 45 and 33% were undecided.

Support for the measure was particularly high among low-income voters, who favored it by a nearly three-to-one margin (Sacramento Bee, 9/11).

Support for Prop. 46

The poll also found that support for Proposition 46 has declined (San Francisco Chronicle, 9/11). The measure, aimed at improving patient safety, would:

• Increase the state's $250,000 limit on pain-and-suffering awards in malpractice lawsuits;
• Require doctors to undergo random drug-testing; and
• Require doctors to use a drug-reporting system (California Healthline, 8/20).

Support for the initiative fell to 34% from 58% earlier this year. Meanwhile, 37% of respondents opposed Prop. 46 and 29% were undecided (San Francisco Chronicle, 9/11).

Implications

Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll, said, "What's really striking ... is the very large proportion of undecideds on both of these measures," adding, "What it says is that voters haven't given much attention to it. They want to get more information.”

DiCamillo said the findings indicate that Prop. 46 is unlikely to pass (Sacramento Bee, 9/11).