Worrying About the Health Care System
Daniel Weintraub, a columnist for the Sacramento Bee posted a summary of a Field Poll report on his blog, California Insider. The Field Poll itself (released January 3, 2007) can be found here in pdf. format.
Voters offer a wide range of concerns about the health care system as it relates to their own lives. For example, greater than three in four voters (77%) worry that they might not be able to pay for the costs of a major illness and injury, and another 75% are concerned about employers potentially cutting back on the amount they contribute for a worker’s health care.
The possibility of not having or losing health care coverage troubles seven in ten (71%). A similar majority (71%) is worried about being able to pay the costs of their health care premiums, deductibles and co-payments. Concerns about having access to quality doctors and health service services (68%) or having to wait or put off getting needed care (67%) are also cited by greater than two in three voters statewide. The inability to pay for needed prescription drugs (64%) or not being able to obtain affordable health insurance due to a pre-existing health condition (62%) is also seen a possible problem by more than six in ten.
The poll was a survey of California voters, and the results come as no surprise to any of us. The health care coverage issue is one that both the governor and the leaders of the legislature have promised to address in this session. Hopefully more will be accomplished than in the last session, which produced only one very timid first step (see my post here from last week).
At the same time, however, health care costs and affordable coverage for those costs is a concern of all Americans, not just Californians. The issue is ripe for consideration on the national level. The 110th Congress already has a full plate, but surely there is room for one more entree. The media keeps insisting that Democrats have to deal with ethics issues first, or the war in Iraq, or the budget, depending on what day it is. Frankly, my hope is that Democrats have the ability to walk and chew gum at the same time and that all of these issues can be addressed in a sensible and just way. That's why we elected them.
Voters offer a wide range of concerns about the health care system as it relates to their own lives. For example, greater than three in four voters (77%) worry that they might not be able to pay for the costs of a major illness and injury, and another 75% are concerned about employers potentially cutting back on the amount they contribute for a worker’s health care.
The possibility of not having or losing health care coverage troubles seven in ten (71%). A similar majority (71%) is worried about being able to pay the costs of their health care premiums, deductibles and co-payments. Concerns about having access to quality doctors and health service services (68%) or having to wait or put off getting needed care (67%) are also cited by greater than two in three voters statewide. The inability to pay for needed prescription drugs (64%) or not being able to obtain affordable health insurance due to a pre-existing health condition (62%) is also seen a possible problem by more than six in ten.
The poll was a survey of California voters, and the results come as no surprise to any of us. The health care coverage issue is one that both the governor and the leaders of the legislature have promised to address in this session. Hopefully more will be accomplished than in the last session, which produced only one very timid first step (see my post here from last week).
At the same time, however, health care costs and affordable coverage for those costs is a concern of all Americans, not just Californians. The issue is ripe for consideration on the national level. The 110th Congress already has a full plate, but surely there is room for one more entree. The media keeps insisting that Democrats have to deal with ethics issues first, or the war in Iraq, or the budget, depending on what day it is. Frankly, my hope is that Democrats have the ability to walk and chew gum at the same time and that all of these issues can be addressed in a sensible and just way. That's why we elected them.
Labels: 110th Congress, Health Care
posted by Diane at 3:45 AM
1 Comments:
I have to wonder haw many of those people, who fear being unable to pay for a major illness, would actually come out for a single-payer system?
Ironically, I'm a nurse at a major Level-I trauma urban medical center hospital and even my health insurance, which is fairly excellent, might not keep our family afloat in case of a catastrophic illness.
But at least I'd have my job...
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