CALIFORNIA: PUBLIC UNFAMILIAR WITH PATIENT PROTECTION ACTS

      Two California ballot initiatives designed to protect HMO
 consumers "have made little impression on state voters and have
 little support among those who are familiar with them," according
 to a new Field Poll released yesterday (Russell, SAN FRANCISCO
 CHRONICLE, 9/17).  Opponents of the measures have already begun
 airing "extensive TV and radio advertising broadly attacking both
 propositions" (Field Institute release, 9/17).  Supporters
 countered with a major campaign featuring full-page ads,
 infomercials and smaller print ads with emotionally charged text
 (California Nurses Association/Foundation for Taxpayer and
 Consumer Rights release, 9/4).  
      UNHEARD AND UNFAVORED:  The poll found that 31% of likely
 voters reported knowledge of Proposition 214, called the HMO
 Patients Rights Initiative and Proposition 216, the Patient
 Protection Act.  Among registered voters, 28% reported having
 heard or read something about the statutes.  Of the likely voters
 who were aware of the ballot measures, about one-third (10% of
 all likely voters) were inclined to oppose the initiatives, five
 percent would support them and half (16% of total) were
 undecided.  After being read a summary of the initiatives, 43% of
 the likely voters opposed Prop. 214, while 22% supported it and
 35% were undecided.  For Prop. 216, 46% of the likely voters
 opposed it, 19% supported it and 35% were still undecided after
 hearing the summary (Field Institute release, 9/17).  "A 2-to-1
 reaction against is not what you want to see if you are a
 promoter of an initiative," said Field pollster Mark DiCamillo. 
 "Typically, they like to start out with a lead, and try to hold
 on," he added.  DiCamillo noted that "it was unusual to ask
 voters their inclinations on two measures at once, particularly
 given that the supporters of each measure fiercely oppose the
 other" (CHRONICLE, 9/17).
      KEEP IT SIMPLE:  The main objective of both propositions is
 "to establish greater regulation of the way in which hospitals
 and managed care health plans ... operate," according to the
 survey (see AHL 9/13) (Field Institute release, 9/17).  DiCamillo
 noted that of all the initiatives, excluding bond issues, since
 1978, only nine percent that were trailing in the September poll
 were passed in the election.  Since 1990, only one in three
 initiatives have been approved.  DiCamillo said, "Over the long
 haul, voters are a little weary of highly complicated
 initiatives" (CHRONICLE, 9/17).