Benefits September 15, 2004

Survey Finds Strong Support for Health Cost Regs

September 15, 2004 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Two out of three American adults (67%) believe health-care coverage should be a guarantee as in Canada, Britain and other nations and more than three quarters (78%) think it should be regulated like a utility, a new survey found.
Reported by

The survey, by Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of Results for America (RFA), found that half of US adults with health insurance – an estimated 100 million people – have seen their coverage cut and/or out-of-pocket costs go up. In that same vein, a third of adults (34%) who use prescription medications already buy or are planning to purchase cheaper drugs from Canada or other nations..

According to a news release, in general, concerns about access to health care and rising medical costs are driving clear majorities of Americans to favor a greater government role in health care:

  • Three out of four American adults (78%) agree that health should be “regulated by government to ensure fair prices, accountability, access for everyone and quality services.” A strong 78% of all American adults – including 71% of conservatives – support forcing providers to get regulatory approval before hiking premiums.
  • Eight in ten (83%) say that theUS should buy prescription drugs on a bulk basis to help control costs.
  • Eight in ten agree that all Americans should have access to the kinds of comprehensive health insurance available to most federal employees.
  • Some 56% of adults with health insurance – representing an estimated 100 million American adults – have had their coverage cut or been forced to pay more on an out-of-pocket basis for coverage. In many cases, Americans have seen their coverage shrink and then had to pay more to get the narrower protection.
  • A third of adults who use prescription medications already buy or are planning to purchase cheaper drugs from Canada or other nations. Among American adults with health care insurance who buy prescription drugs, a net of one-third (34%) are already purchasing (6%) or planning to purchase (33%) lower costs drugs from pharmacies inCanada or other nations. Not only that, but nearly two in ten (18%) say they either skip medications or reduce dosages to stretch their medication due to high costs.
  • Strong support exists for a federal health insurance program covering all children. Four out of five Americans (81%) agree that “all children in America should all be covered under a federal health care program that would provide for both their preventive and acute health care needs.”

The survey of 1,020US adults was conducted between September 2 to 5, 2004. More information about the survey is at http://www.ResultsForAmerica.org .

«