The State of Health Care Worsens; Americans Ready for Reform

Affordable health care is a top priority of the American public. An ABC/Kaiser/USA Today poll, entitled “Health Care in America 2006 Survey,” found that 56 percent of Americans favor switching from our current health care system to a universal health insurance program funded by taxpayers—68 percent of those surveyed would even favor increased taxes to institute a national, universal health care system. Americans disagree on how to address the issue, but a majority of Americans believe that our national health care system needs real reform. 

The findings of the report show that more and more families are adversely affected by health care–related problems, mostly concerning the issue of affordability. In June 2005, 23 percent of Americans experienced problems paying their medical bills; and, in September 2006, the percentage rose to 25 percent.

Of those surveyed, 3 out of 10 Americans reported putting off medical treatment due to cost—70 percent of these medical procedures were described as “serious.” Americans are increasingly concerned about their ability to pay medical insurance premiums, with 60 percent either very worried or somewhat worried that it will become impossible in the next few years.

Middle-class Americans fear losing coverage due to job loss (56 percent are very or somewhat worried) or employee health insurance cuts; meanwhile, the uninsured continue to live in fear that a family member might develop an illness, which would necessitate unaffordable medical treatments.

With the poor state of health care in the United States having a negative impact on more and more American families, affordable health care has become the one issue today’s politicians can bet the bank on. Politicians and their constituencies on the right and left—conservative and liberal—are aligning over the issue of health care. Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich based his successful 2006-reelection bid on his healthcare expansion record and on a promise to accomplish affordable health care for every citizen in Illinois. Pennsylvania’s Governor Ed Rendell easily won passage of a coverage program for all children. And Massachusetts’ recent Governor Mitt Romney presided over passage of a universal healthcare plan as he left office to explore a presidential run. The poll confirms that healthcare is good politics because it is a top concern of most Americans.

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