To begin… What do you think are the two most important health care problems for the government to address?
Asked of half sample
2-03*
COSTS (NET)
35
Cost of prescription drugs/medicines
19
Cost of health care
12
Cost of insurance/affordable insurance
7
Costs – other (incl. doctor and hospital costs)
1
SENIORS’ ISSUES (NET)
32
Senior citizens’ care/ issues (incl. Social Security)
14
Medicare
10
Coverage of rx drugs (for elderly/Medicare)
11
ACCESS TO CARE AND INSURANCE (NET)
17
Universal coverage / coverage for uninsured
11
Health care availability (general)
3
Health care for the poor
1
Access to health care – other (incl. staff cutbacks and difficulties w/pre-existing conditions)
3
MEDICAL CONDITIONS (NET)
19
AIDS/AIDS research/HIV
9
Cancer/Cancer Research
10
Medical Conditions/ Procedures – other
9
INSURANCE COMPANY CONCERNS (NET)
8
Health insurance (general)
5
HMO/Managed care concerns
3
OTHER POLICY (NET)
10
Children’s care/issues
3
Quality of care
2
Other policy/social issues (incl. abortion, drug abuse, Medicaid, etc.)
5
Note: Adds up to more than 100 percent because respondents were allowed to give more than one answer.
* Responses for Feb-03 based on the question “What do you think are the two most important health care problems for the government to address?” For subsequent months responses where based on the question “What do you think is the most important problem for the government to address? Is there another problem you think is almost as important for the government to address?”
Survey by Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Methodology: Fieldwork conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates, conducted February 6-10, 2003 and based on telephone interviews with a national adult sample of 1,201.