When asked in an open-ended question to name the most important problem for the government to address, war and the economy top the list with three in ten (31%) naming each of these as the top priority. Health care ranks third at 26%. Fewer people name terrorism (15%), tax and budget issues (9%), education (6%), social security (5%) and crime (4%) as the most important problems to be addressed.

When asked about the most important health problem for the government to address, health care costs were mentioned by almost half of respondents (46%). Other responses include access to care and insurance (25%) and senior citizens' issues (16%).

In addition to open-ended questions, we also ask the public to choose the most important issue for President and Congress to address among several specific health care issues. About three in ten say increasing the number of insured Americans (29%) is most important, followed closely by lowering the cost of health care and insurance (25%). Smaller shares say lowering the cost of prescription drugs (14%), reducing medical errors (13%) and lowering the cost of medical malpractice insurance for physicians (8%) are top priorities.

Views on the most important health issue for the President and Congress to address vary among different demographic groups. Not surprisingly, people ages 65 and older are more likely than younger adults to name the cost of prescription drugs as the most important issue for the President and Congress to deal with.

Independents (36%) and Democrats (34%) are more than twice as likely as Republicans (16%) to say that increasing the number of Americans covered by health insurance is the most important health issue for the President and Congress to address. Republicans are somewhat more likely than Independents and Democrats to name “lowering the cost of medical malpractice insurance for physicians” as the most important health issue.