RespondentID 1646_What concerns you most about health care 1712_Our current way of paying for health car 1714_What trade-offs do you think the America 1648_What is your single most important recom 1743_We have a few final questions just to 2153_ How old are you? 1749_Are you Hispanic or Latino? 1750_Which of these groups best represents yo 1751_What is the highest grade or year of sch 1752_Do you have any kind of health care cove 1711Priv_We want to know what health care benefit "1713Priv_Because health care is very personal, we" 1647Priv_What have you seen in American health ca 1715Priv_Is there anything else you would like to 1720Priv_We have a few final questions just to he 1806Priv_Are you Hispanic or Latino? 1806CommPriv_Are you Hispanic or Latino? 1719Priv_How old are you? 2176Priv_16. Which of these groups best represen 2176CommPriv_16. Which of these groups best represen 1718Arch_We have two final questions just to help 1748ArchPriv_Are you Hispanic or Latino? state ResponseDate 1420 The cost! NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL male NULL MD 10/3/05 3:37 PM 1420 The cost! NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL male NULL MD 10/4/05 9:00 AM 1485 Healthcare is becoming increasingly more difficult to access for anyone other than the very rich. Yes. We should expand our current medicare system to include everyone. People would no longer have their jobs tied to their healthcare. Employers would be free to use the money saved toward employee salaries and wages. I think Americans would be willing to pay higher taxes going toward healthcare rather than pay billions to insurance company executives and pharmaeutical companies'profits and marketing strategies. "America must begin a single-payor healthcare system like the one proposed in HR 676. If this does not happen very soon America will reach a state of crisis as fewer and fewer people that need healthcare will be able to access it. More and more people are being refused healthcare by doctors and hospitals due to unpaid balances as a result of lack of insurance or high ""copays"" and deductibles. Doctors are being pressured by conflicting loyalties-the insurance companies and the patients." NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Preventive healthcare, doctor's visits, major medical, hospitalization, inpatient and outpatient mental health care(psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, counseling), dental healthcare, prescription drug coverage, laboratory, radiology, chiropractic, rehabilitation, Hospice care, long-term assisted living for seniors and disabled,home healthcare, physical therapy, occupational therapy, worker's compensation." "Healthcare should be delivered by dedicated,appropriately trained professionals in an unhurried fashion. " Hospitals with research centers. America has some of the best-trained doctors and nurses in the world and some of the best research centers. However America is falling behind other industrialized nations in terms of the health of its citizens because too many people cannot access this healthcare. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL na 10/4/05 9:00 PM 1486 "As a future health care provider, I am concerned about the rising costs. I also worry about the creation of a system that is run by the government. I see a future decrease in advancements and quality of care if this were to happen." I don't think that employers should be saddled with more responsibility to make up for the insane rate of health care cost increases. The efficiency of the entire system needs analysis. These are complex issues that are not going to be solved by any single measure. "I like what Oregon has done by limiting the procedures that are available through their state funded benefits for those that do not have private insurance. Why do we have to trade anything? I would like to trade the income of the CEO of some of the large insurance companies for some lower deductibles and premiums. If you can afford it, you should be able to get it. That is the beauty of the capitalistic society." "Prevention and education. Education about resources that are already available. It seems that some choose to afford a nice car that comes with a car payment and pricey insurance rather than make sure they get their annual pap smear. I am not sure why some choose not to have health insurance when there are policies available to protect them from catastrophic events and then draw on available community resources. Most of the time it is because they did not know that they could go to the free clinic or nearly free women's center that is run by the local university. The county programs for women and children are available, but they don't go because they don't want to wait that long. That's a choice not a lack of available resource. Solutions for many of the problems already exist and are not utilized by the people eligible." NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "I want medications to not cost so much, but I still want drug companies to work to find new solutions to some of the health problems that many face. Preventative care is important. " "I want to be able to go to the provider that I like, have a history and a repore with. These people are caring for myself and my family. Continuity of care is key to health maintenance. The county systems that I have witnessed have a revolving door of substandard medical caregivers, so that system is broken as well. I want the freedom to go where I want to go. If I don't like the care I receive, I want to be able to vote with my dollars and my feet and get my care somewhere else." "I liked it better before the HMO's. People came to the doctor when there was real need, not just because they could as their copay was only $10. HMO's devalued the services. Health care education works pretty well. I get care from qualified physicians and nurses, because I am in the healthcare field and know what to look for in a provider. We have a good quality of care that is delivered in a relatively timely fashion. " We are a resourceful and creative population. Student nurses and medical students are a brilliant resource that are sorely underutilized. I know first hand that there is room in the education process for obtaining more experience and maintaining good grades. I would also hate to lose the creativity of the talented providers because they were being regulated entirely by the government. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL SC 10/4/05 11:20 PM 1514 "It is too unavailable, ineffective, driven by profit-motive concerns, corrupted and robbed by providers (see HCA and other frauds)dominated by corporate and provider interest instead of patient care, lacking in preventive care, unable to use technologies that would improve patient care and services, unable to negotiate or cap costs across all systems, too supportive of the piracy by pharmaceutical companies, self-defeating in anything that would improve health care and save money. There is no check on billions in fraud and no way patients know they are being used fraudulently. The most costly health care in the world is also the most corrupt and the most robbing of ordinary citizens including the 48 to 70 million who are uninsured or underinsured. I am not an expert just an ordinary curious and alert citizen who votes. This non-system and its purposeful mismangements intended to increase profit while care declines, except for the very few able to afford other outcomes, is more transparent than ""officials"" realize. If we don't fix this soon the whole idea that this democracy is exceptional and fair and the best will wither along with the millions who will be increasingly sick and increasingly poor. The lie that USA has the best health care is true for very few people and even that is falling behind, withering from the vultures emptying the trough faster than it can refill." "Yes, and from what I have said you know what they are. I want a single-payer, universal health care system paid for through government arrangements. I want GM type corporations to be free of unreasonable costs of employee health care so they don't add thousands to their non-competitive prices and Toyota doesn't go to Canada with jobs. I want employees to be able to change jobs or start companies without losing health coverage. I want open and progress establishing research in the single payer system which will be able to use patients who will consent because they are not afraid of losing health insurance. This list is long but practical. For-profit systems are killing the USA." "something like 67% say they'd pay higher taxes. Me too. I am not one who thinks that I have choices or controls now. Almost no one has. I also think that a large num,ber (millions) of us are beginning to see how thoroughly we are being robbed by corporate and wealthy individual interests daily." GET UNCONSCIONABLE PROFIT AND FRAUD AND ROBBERY OUT OF THE SYSTEM AND GET ACTUALHEALTH CARE FOR EVERYBODY IN NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Universal health careor expand the VA to everyone/or expand Mrdicare-Medicaid to everyone. At the least real preventive care and basic care including all services for everyone. I want a single payer system that negotiates prices and controls excess. I want a system with BIG monitors of provider costs and services to avoid these massive dollar frauds I want a system where a patient really can monitor her own expenses and services and can keep self from being assigned services by unchosen providers I want a system that will use the kinds of information systems and negotiating systems that the VA uses so successfully. I am 63, have no health insurance, have enviable health and intend to keep it that way. I try not to go near our health care non-system. In my 25 year career during which I had big health insurance, I never once used it. That means my employers paid many, many thousands of bucks and I never once used it. I am the actuarial dream." That it exists and is available and effective without ruining my family or myself. I would like to be able to chose and monitors services to me or family members in which it actually matters that I am interested in health instead of the current assembly-line health care now provided by employer health insurance and some of the HMO/Managed care groups. You can't be an honest or thrifty patient in our current system. There is no center of control to address and you often don't even know who is billing whom for what. "VA Have been pleased with MediCare in West Virginia and have extensive experience with it through parents, not HMO. VA was great for my father D-Day wounded, disabled. I would not have been able to care for him without the VA and services. VA is underfunded and about to be a disaster for Iraq vets. Too bad the Bush Administration is more interested in privatization and profit for a tiny few." "yES, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT HOW ENDANGERED EVERY CITIZEN IS WHEN SO MANY DO NOT HAVE AVAILABLE HEALTH CARE IN TERMS OF PUBLIC HEALTH, IN TERMS OF EPIDEMIC POSSIBILITIES, IN TERMS OF TERRORISM RESULTS POSSIBILITIES, IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATIONS THAT MAKE PEOPLE SICKER, LONGER? iT TAKES ONLY A FEW UNATTENDED AND SICK INDIVIDUALS TO KILL A LOT OF PEOPLE. IS ANYONE THINKING OF SELF-DEFENSE HERE? NOT EVERYONE CAN GO INTO HIS CASTLE DURING THE PLAGUE." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL na 10/5/05 7:05 PM 1516 Lack of adequate healthcare for less affluent Americans Complete overhaul. We should go to a single-payer system. "If they know it will be affordable and high quality, they'll pay more in taxes. There should be few trade-offs necessary for the vast majority of people, though." Single payer system NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Basic healthcare. The care I'm most likely to need. "How it's delivered depends on what I need. I want to be able to get the care I need without having to worry about how I'm going to pay for it. I want to know what my options are and chose what I feel is the appropriate care, in consultation with my doctor." We do a good job of providing emergency and life-saving care. NULL male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/6/05 1:22 AM 1517 Rising costs. NULL NULL NULL female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 10/6/05 9:11 AM 1519 "1)Deteriorating access for all to needed services, particularly mental health, 2)Financial waste, with health care dollars going to corporate executives, profits and overhead instead of directly paying for health care, 3)The perversion of the scientific base of knowledge via corporate paid advertising, lobbying and political corruption, leading to wrong, unhelpful and/or destructive treatments, especially in mental health." "Abolish the current mess and establish a government-run single payer system with no corporate involvement and set regulatory watchdogs over this, much as FDR did over public works in the 1930's - to guard against corruption. Medicare is our most cost-effective system and is rapidly being destroyed by corporate lobbying interests, for example, in the drug coverage legislation preventing the US government from negotiating lower prices for the covered drugs. A boon to the drug companies and a terrible waste of taxpayer money." "So far voting on these issues has been profoundly influenced by advertising by the insurance, pharmaceutical and other corporate interests, so that voters have been persuaded to vote against their own best interests, in terms of health care. An at least equal stream of truth and fact would be a good thing, but there is little chance of this, as big money controls advertising and access to media outlets. Americans have noted themselves into one of the worst advanced nations' healthcare messes in the world, leaving 45 million of themselves uninsured, 15,000 avoidable deaths per year due to no coverage, etc." "Somehow greatly reduce the influence of paid lobbyists and campaign contributions to state, local and national elections, so that the voice of the voters can actually count." male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "1)All health care money spent in the most efficient manner, on preventive and needed care, more like the 3% overhead costs of medicare, with no money going to things that contribute nothing to health care, 2)Equal access to health care for all Americans 3)Funding for mental health care that is needed, that has proven its treatment and cost-benefit effectiveness endlessly already with respect for the scientific truth and no reference to corporate preferences, 4)National health care as a community responsibility and resource instead as a place more suited to corporate profit making and stripping away citizen rights, 5)Restore full and solid privacy for health care consumers and for their records. No one will talk to a health care professional or psychotherapist deeply enough to help if their privacy is compromised." "Health care services need to be private and confidential, guarded against access by anyone without prior consent by the patient or legally responsible parties, such as parents. Current HIPA regulations are a farce, forcing release of private records without patient consent to thousands of eligible government, law enforcement, and corporate interests. Also all Americans should have access to health care as needed without any reference to ability to pay and this would be the case if the government funded it adequately as a single payer system. Preventive care should be fully supported, like pre-natal care, well baby care, immunizations for all, physical examinations, diagnostic testing as ordered by the appropriate health care professional, without having to fight with corporate interests about it. High cost devices and services might have to be evaluated for cost-effectiveness, but with perhaps, extensive debate and public input taken seriously, as value of life and ethics enter into this. Mental health services have been cut more drastically than any other area of health care since the advent of mangled care and need to be restored to a much more fully supported level. Drug company lying has distorted public awareness and knowledge about mental health issues over the past 30+ years and needs to stop being all that citizens hear about the nature of mental health problems and their treatment. Cuts in funding and other problems have made school psychology innacurate in diagnosis and treatment because full evaluations take time and no school psychologist is allowed that time to assess the nature of a child's problems. This is a specialty of mine, trying to correct school evaluation and treatment errors and get real help for affected kids." "Quality of care is still good, if you can get it and you luck out on the place and the people you get it from. There are still a great many excellent and caring professional working in our health care system who do a great job, often in spite of the obstacles the current system throws in their way. There is still great training available in our health care professional schools, though this is, in many of them, on the decline due to funding cuts and distortion of our knowledge base by corporate pressures at all levels. Psychiatry has become a profession of drug dealers, legal, but not very knowledgable or helpful. Look at the science on mental health treatment outcomes and you will see that this is true. Our quality of life, infant mortality rates, efficiency are all falling below that of other industrialized nations." "To understand it, think of it as a problem with ""the commons"", the wild spaces that villages used to share in old England, with all having access to farm and hunt. Then the commons were given to the nobility to control and the common people lost their right to feed themselves as they saw fit and were willing to work to bring about and they became dependent of the dictates of the lords. This is what has been done to our health care system, which has always been paid for and supported by the people, but now has been given over, with ERISA and mangled careless, to private lords to do with as they will. Hence, we have the spectacle of Mr. XXXXXXXX taking home 40 million dollars of healthcare money in a year in which Oxford was losing money while trying to provide healthcare to millions of people." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL na 10/6/05 3:10 PM 1524 "The 46 million uninsured Americans and the others with inadequate coverage. Also, the limited access to good care for many in low income areas." I think we should gradually abandon the employer's role in health insurance. It just doesn't work for too many people and is too volatile. Same for state-based systems. Include everybody under the same tent. Look at Hurricane Katrina and the lack of a portable saftey net. "None. As Reinhardt says, ""Americans really are that mean."" It's sad but true. They will have to be forced to do it (well, we forced Iraq on them, why not health care? It will be much cheaper.)" "Give them access to health care. health insurance should be easy to get and hard to lose, which is reverse of now." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL financial protection for high cost care is more important than specific services to me. "Like most people, I want personal care, from a physician I know and trust, someone who cares about me as well as for me. However, when push comes to shove, what I really want is high technical quality no matter what." "It seems to work well for the healthy and the rich, which includes me." It's like the Titanic and sinking with an incompetent captain at the wheel. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MI 10/6/05 4:01 PM 1527 High costs and the lack of universal access Single payer. We should have a national health plan like Great Britain's. The advantages of such a system far outweigh the disadvantages. Single payer coverage could be sold to the American people if opinion makers would get behind it. Single payer coverage female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Benefits: visits to physicians, presecription drugs, hospitalization, in-home care, long-term care Services: preventive screening (mammograms, colonoscopies, etc.), parity for mental health services including therapy, psychiatric care, and hospitalization" "The sacred doctor-patient relationship is a myth. While continuity of care is important, it is not as important as getting care when you need it. More use of clinics and other freestanding non-acute care facilities would save money and probably enhance the quality of health care." Our hospitals are very good but they cost way too much. Our nurses are outstanding but underpaid and undervalued; that is why there is a perennial shortage of nurses. Our spending on medical research should be reevaluated. Perhaps we spend too much on possible therapies whose development is far in the future. We should consider devoting some research money to increasing the effectiveness of treatments we have now or treatments in the late stages of development. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MD 10/6/05 4:23 PM 1532 "Unfortunately, many work for small companies that don't offer health insurance, or cannot afford to pay their part of the cost. The new Medicare Rx coverage will help some, but proposed significant cuts to Medicaid must not take place. " Giving people tax breaks to pay for their health coverage is not enough. Many need Earned Income Tax Credits or actual cash to meet these most important expenses. There should be a way to centralize and regulate these costs. I believe the costs under the Veteran's Administration are lower because of the large number of people involved. "I would be willing to go to a centralized system. I am willing to go with an HMO or PPO if my physicians participate, rather than a fee-for-service arrangement. " "I think a centralized system, rather than separate ones for the elderly, poor, children, and others would be far better. " female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "I take medication on an ongoing basis due to a pre-existing health condition. Pharmacy coverage and covering Doctor's fees are at the moment more important to me than Hospital services. I had considered a possible inpatient stay, but that will not take place. " I have Medicare and have it adminstered by a PPO. That way I don't need to submit a second bill to a Medigap policy. The physicians I deal with are on their plan. "When the bills get submitted properly, the system can work well. Surgeons bills did not get submitted, so I needed to do some detective work. I found copies of the original bill, and eventually the dunning letters ceased. " I lobby my Members of Congress and others about this issue often. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CT 10/6/05 7:12 PM 1535 "Profit driven waste. Hospitals are understaffed but continue to build facilities to either, attract business or pacify greedy and demanding doctors. " The beginning of our spiraling increase in health care premiums started when the industry moved away from community pool rating to merit rating. The healthy groups and individuals got a good deal for awhile but as the rating pool continued to shrink everyone's rates ballooned. We should return to legislated community rating and let the insurance companies and the government compete on a quality of service basis and not lowest rates. That is the root of the problem. Those that have health care aren't willing to give up anything and those that don't aren't in a position to trade-off anything. Community rating. Take the profit out of the motivation of those funding and those buying health insurance. male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Coverage for hospitalization and large dollar lab and professional provider procedures. "There is a big difference between need and want. We have an insatiable appetite for health care. Giving expensive cancer treatment to an 80 year old Alzheimer's patient isn't probably in anyone's best interest. Our citizens have an unreasonable sense of entitlement. We want all the health care we can get, whenever we want it, and we want somebody else to pay for it. I should have the freedom to pick my providers without impacting the amount of coverage I get. However, I should It is important to receive the health care needed to maintain or restore the quality of life. However not every sprained ankel needs an MRI. " Community rating. NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL KS 10/7/05 6:47 AM 1536 People who are without health insurance. "shift from employer-based system to individual-based system; employers would pay a tax (partly based on number of employees, partly based on the average salary of employees); individuals could choose between private health plans and government-sponsored plans" "1. emphasize living wills and palliative care to reduce end of life health care expenses 2. people with middle income or high income jobs should have co-pays for high-end diagnostic services e.g. $100 co-pay to get an MRI of a ""tennis elbow"" 3. people and employers should share financing of health care access for all - it would reduce total healthcare expenses (lack of insurance is more costly than providing a basic level of services)" To encourage people at risk for diabetes to change their diet and exercise so that getting diabetes is less likely - huge cost savings plus increased quality of life and life span benefits male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Regular preventive care - annual physical, periodic screenings (e.g. colonscopies every 5 years); diagnostic test services (e.g. upper G.I.); treatment services (e.g. physical therapy); emergency services; inpatient hospital beds" convenient setting - close to home and/or work; health professionals that can spend some extra time answering questions; like to see the same physician or at least one of two or three Medicaid HMOs that look at the whole person e.g. willing to buy a matress for someone to avoid them having back trouble and needing physical therapy Make information more accessible to people e.g. why bunion surgery might or might not accomplish what you want and then have info. on how many bunion surgeries of what kind a bunion surgeon does; In general provide quality info. on performance so that people will use higher quality services more and lower quality services less. This will improve outcomes and cost-effectiveness over time. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 10/7/05 8:38 AM Test na Test na 1539 "Rising costs, related rising demand and the growing uninsured population." "I think that the system needs to change, but I fear the government having full control (single-payor) as the Feds have shown that they are challenged to manage the Social Security and Medicare budgets (especially with the graying of America). From my perspective, a single-payor system would lead to a major rationing initiative for all but the wealthiest of Americans. Market-driven forces still have a place in the U.S. healthcare system." "I can't speak for all Americans, but time has shown that people will flex on paying more but won't be denied choice. I do think that Americans will pay more for higher quality if they can understand that a provider does deliver better quality than their peers." "That's a toss up between access to urgent care and end-of-life care. In both areas, Americans are not spending resources wisely. The U.S. does not have a reliable urgent care system in place (sprains, headaches, breaks, stiches) so the public tends to utilize EDs, the most costly site for general care. Additionally, Americans throw a ton of money at patients during the final days of life because the existing Medical Schools teach doctors to save the patients at all costs and because Americans don't have other options (hospice and other palliative care options, including home care) are either not available or not promoted well." male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Basic primary care services are very important, though I would be willing to pay out-of-pocket for those services if my family's coverage for outpatient and inpatient treatment services had lower premiums (I am currently an HMO member)." I am interested in timely and quality care at a reasonable price. I approach healthcare no differently than I do the purchase of any other good or service. Americans have access to the latest and greatest technology. The U.S. healthcare system faces radical change over the next few years. The status quo will only guarantee major financial issues at all levels in the nation. NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL na 10/7/05 10:34 AM Test na Test na 1541 "I have devoted my entire professional career to the delivery of health care services, first as a registered nurse, now as an attorney and certified professional coder. My biggests concerns about health care today are 1. Access to care, 2. affordability and 3. lack of updated information technology in the billing/reimbursement of health care services. There are too many models, too many forms and way to many claims for a single patient encounter. My elderly mother recently suffered a cardiac event. The care was great, but the bills were a nightmare and even I, a health care attorney with expertise in reimbursement had to struggle through a slew of various claims trying to figure out how much she owed and to whom." "At present, we have at least 10 (ten) Federal health care programs. They are: Medicare, Medicaid, Federal Employee Health Benefit Program, Indian Health Services, Public Health Services, Federal prison program, Rail Road Retirement Board, Black Lung, Tricare/Champus and Veterans Affairs. While I have no data to support this, I have to believe that consolidation of all of these programs into a single benefit plan would eliminate overlapping costs in terms of Federal employees and significantly reduce operational expenses. Who would the consolidated plans cover? There could be options, such as coverage limited to current plan beneficiaries who qualify under existing programs. Or, the potential savings could result in basic level of coverage for all Americans (which also eliminates nexus to employment-a benefit to corporations). Citizens could still purchase additional ""supplemental"" private insurance for additional health needs or services. This ensures that we Americans would still have a choice-something we love. I don't favor socialized health plans per se, but I think that we are already there and I don't see how US corporations can continue to compete with foreign businesses with the rising cost of health plans tied around their necks. Therefore a hybrid model as proposed above should be considered." "I for one would be willing to trade our current system for a national (broad but cost effective) program to ensure that more Americans are covered for some basic level of care. Instead, we are currently providing costly care to acutely ill individuals through our Hospital Emergency Departments." "Consolidate the existing health care programs discussed above and operate them like Medicare. The Medicare program actually operates with minimal overhead expenses. It's time to separate health care enrollment and expenses from employment. Businesses should not have to maintain this expense and employees are increasingly transient, which makes current health care plans like revolving doors. Devote significant resources to IT infrastructure both in reimbursement and in health care business operations. We need to get serious about updating this." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "I think that most Americans would prefer coverage for basic services that focus on wellness nd preventative health practices such as annual physical exams as well as effective programs for chronic disease management. I think that most benefits could focus on the delivery of prompt ""urgent care"" type services that are not life-threatening and require minimal evaluation. For example, when my child (who has asthma) has a upper respiratory infection, I need a simple exam, not a pediatric visit in two weeks or an emergency room visit for anti-biotics. Both of these options take too long and take time from my work and my son's school. Along the same note, I think that any health care service delivery model should include school-based clinics." "Health care should be readily accessible and start at the local level in the form of primary care services. Health services should be premised on preventative and/or chronic disease management for the most expensive health care risks, ie., heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, etc. Health care infrastructure should be aggressively updated to include adequate IT. We in the health care world are still paper-based dinosaurs operating with paper based claims, auditing and accounting practices. " "The Kaiser health care model is the most innovative at present. Kaiser has devoted extensive work towards development of quality management programs tha increases the probability of positive patient outcomes and decreases the likelihood of adverse events by continually assessing and improving governance, managerial, clinical, and support mechanisms that directly and indirectly impact outcomes. (See, Kaiser Permanente, 2002). Kaiser focuses on wellness and health maintenance, which reduces the need for acute care services. That's where our focus should be." "I have other ideas as well, but too many to go into here. Again, I have been in the health care industry since the 70's. I know it pretty well. If there are other opportunities to participate and contribute to this endeavor, please give me a call. " NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 10/7/05 3:41 PM 1544 I am concerned that money plays such a large role in determining who receives care and who does not. "I personally lean toward single-payer system, although a small deductible on a sliding scale could be helpful in discouraging abuse of the system." "Higher taxes, to replace the cost of health insurance. " "I think that if every American, including every member of Congress, and every top-level government official, were placed in a single group, the solutions would appear quickly." male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Wellness care and education Decisions in care made by primary care physicians, with monetary pressures being minimized." "It is very important that we be able to take part in the decisions regarding what doctors we are able to see. Also for doctors to have time to tend to their patients, In this day in which everyone is computerized and linked, why do doctors have to fill out so many papers?" I personally benefit greatly in research in medications and treatment. I am fortunate to be covered by a healthcare plan through my employer. I am concerned that that is disappearing. "For those who have access to health care, it is pretty good. The expense is not spread around fairly, and poverty is too much of a determining factor." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 10/7/05 9:05 PM 1548 No emphasis on wellness and using all the tools available including complementary therapies and dietary supplements. We have a system that treats disease and has no incentive to keep and get people well or at least forstall or prevent complications of disease. Neither the pharmaceutical nor the food industry wants us to get well. They are in the business of keeping us sick. Government should insure a basic level of care at a reasonable cost. Government should not permit insurance companies to gouge consumers. Consumers should be free to choose and make informed decision based on science and not on what the pharmaceutical companies and FDA say. FDA and pharma are in bed together and this hurts consumers. Government should not support Pharma to the detriment of consumers. "THere are no reasons for tradeoffs unless you choose to perpetuate the present system, where quality is buyer be ware and access is limited to those who can pay. We have more healthcare and less health than any country in the world. More people die from malpractice and iatrogenic causes, and adverse reactions to drugs than should be acceptable. Yet, access to integrative medicine and informed choice through communication of the science are denied by FDA, FTC and the entire medical structure meant to keep people in the dark and dependent on pills." Access to integrated therapies. Information to make informed choices.Lower costs. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Access to any doctor of my choosing and access to coverage for nontraditional and allopathic medicine, at an affordable cost. And, basic health care for every American." "Access to competent providers, including allied professions, in a community setting. THe most important thing is access to information to make informed choices." Integrative medicine. "Those agencies that are supposed to protect us violate our first amendment right to know and to speak about and practice therapies that are not standardized. This is killing people with more drugs, more side effects and higher costs." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MD 10/7/05 11:05 PM 1558 www.military.com "This peson is right; I am 70 YS ""O"" & a 100% disabled vet for PANIC DISORDER, LIKE P.T.S.D.. The va system does not need to be closed, But it needs to be reduced. We need to have a card like medicare so we can go to our own Dr.s whare we live & not be forced to move to a politically located V.A. hospital. This will accomplish two things. It will get the VET. home where they belong & it will provide money, ""PATIENTS"" for RURAL DR.s as we spend a lot of money subsidizing rural Dr.s. In fact this government wants to PAY foreign DR.s to come her for free if they will practice in a rural setting a set length of time. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The VA healthcare system has never really given the veteran the thing he wanted most....and that is to go to the doctor of his choice in his own home town.....every time you go you see a different doctor who is usually a foreigner who can barely communicate with you....you have to drive for hours and go through big city traffic which is a real hardship for the older vets.....you are treated like scum by the minority workers there who spend most of their time talking to their boyfriends on the phone....the VA systems TOP PRIORITY is about MINORITY EMPLOYMENT...and the only reason that vets go there in the first place is for free medicine....certianly not the treatment they get there..... THE ANSWER....shut down all the VA hospitals....Give every eligable vet health insurance equivalent to medicare with free medicine....the cost would be so much less than the present cost....the reason for less cost... 1.most of the veterans allready have Medicare so you are only adding a medicine benefit.. 2. no more ""Bricks and mortor"" and employment costs which are three of the four dollars that are spent from the VA budget.... The effect for the veteran: He can go to the doctor of his choice in his own community and recieve the quality of care that he chooses and deserves.. The effect for the VA employees: They will redially be re-employed by the Medical community if they are worth ""their salt""... This is not the first time I sound off about VA medical care...I have sent a letter to Washington which was hand carried by the head of Veterans Affairs of this state and also the head of Veterans Minority affairs for this country....I have worked with veterans especially the homeless and am a minority myself....I am not just sounding off like some writer who probably has never had to fight this system like I have....I am a Vietnam Crewchief with over 225 missions under fire who has been through hell since I have come home...but I will always fight for the truth....I am XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.... " none "send the welfare reciepents back to the country they came from. I know 2 women, BLACK MUSLIMS OF SOMALIA, one has 6 children & the other has & & they are on welfare here in POORTLAND OREGON. What are they doing here & why does our OUR STUPID government keep allowing these people to come here much less stay here. Also on the drug enforcement. The powers that be need to forget about drug enforcement & give the money save to the health care system. If the health care system was doing their job there would be no drug problem. These people need LEGAL drugs that these STUPID DOCTORS will not give them. I am a 100% disabled veteran for PANIC DISORDER & ny STUOID DR. will not give me what I need. A dr. at the clinic where I go did & I take it as I need it. When my head cramps & I cannot think I take one & in a half hour I can function again." male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL VETERANS DISABILITY "This peson is right; I am 70 YS ""O"" & a 100% disabled vet for PANIC DISORDER, LIKE P.T.S.D.. The va system does not need to be closed, But it needs to be reduced. We need to have a card like medicare so we can go to our own Dr.s whare we live & not be forced to move to a politically located V.A. hospital. This will accomplish two things. It will get the VET. home where they belong & it will provide money, ""PATIENTS"" for RURAL DR.s as we spend a lot of money subsidizing rural Dr.s. In fact this government wants to PAY foreign DR.s to come her for free if they will practice in a rural setting a set length of time. The VA healthcare system has never really given the veteran the thing he wanted most....and that is to go to the doctor of his choice in his own home town.....every time you go you see a different doctor who is usually a foreigner who can barely communicate with you....you have to drive for hours and go through big city traffic which is a real hardship for the older vets.....you are treated like scum by the minority workers there who spend most of their time talking to their boyfriends on the phone....the VA systems TOP PRIORITY is about MINORITY EMPLOYMENT...and the only reason that vets go there in the first place is for free medicine....certianly not the treatment they get there..... THE ANSWER....shut down all the VA hospitals....Give every eligable vet health insurance equivalent to medicare with free medicine....the cost would be so much less than the present cost....the reason for less cost... 1.most of the veterans allready have Medicare so you are only adding a medicine benefit.. 2. no more ""Bricks and mortor"" and employment costs which are three of the four dollars that are spent from the VA budget.... The effect for the veteran: He can go to the doctor of his choice in his own community and recieve the quality of care that he chooses and deserves.. The effect for the VA employees: They will redially be re-employed by the Medical community if they are worth ""their salt""... This is not the first time I sound off about VA medical care...I have sent a letter to Washington which was hand carried by the head of Veterans Affairs of this state and also the head of Veterans Minority affairs for this country....I have worked with veterans especially the homeless and am a minority myself....I am not just sounding off like some writer who probably has never had to fight this system like I have....I am a Vietnam Crewchief with over 225 missions under fire who has been through hell since I have come home...but I will always fight for the truth....I am XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX" NOTHING; The health care system STINKS; If they did their job & the government get off our backs we would not have all of these problems. Just last night I was talking to a lady about comiting sucide instread of suffering from a bad illness. She calls 911 & they sedn the police out. The GOVERNMENT has no business meddling in my affairs. If I want to die that is my decision & not theirs. Check out the sucide roster. Admerial NEMINTZ & his & his wifes suicide. I have had 3 of my Dr.s commit suicide & a friend & a nephew. I have died 4 times in the Hosp. & I now have a pace maker that keeps me alive. It would be nice if it had a switch that I could turb off when I am ready to die. have you ever heard of a DR. suffering? Of course not. They take care of their own. The government nedds to get off our backs & profide the drugs that are needed for the mentally ill. Go to any donut or coffee shop & witness for your self all the MENTALLY ill that are there or the help knows about. It is the STUPID DR.S & THE GOVERNMENT that is causing the problem. We need to have FEDERAL HOSPITALS - FARMS like we had COUNTY FARMS in the OLD days. These people need help & no one is helping them. Check the prisons. Most of them are MENTAL holding pins. NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/9/05 3:34 AM Duplicate na 1559 "The costs keep going up and the quality of care goes down. When talking to friends and family we do not see that America is a leader in healthcare. We see that the HMO doctor that was once a good doctor is too busy to identify future chronic issues. We see insurance providers not covering procedures that require the patient go to another hospital. We see a well meaning nurse tell someone in the ER that has had a heart attack that if he does as the doctor requests, his family will be in a debt they could not afford. He left. We see hospitals not honoring a realistic payment plans--turning over debts to collection agencies which effect credit ratings and reducing patient possibilities of repayment." "This is a patchwork quilt that just keeps getting more patches placed on it. We need to throw it out and purchase a blanket! I can't tell you which to buy...here our my thoughts: 1) As an individual, hospitals and doctors need to work out realistic payment plans, not 20% of your bill or they send you to collections. Collections ruins your credit rating and then the loan you might get to pay them is unattainable. 2) As a small business employer, the healthcare costs to cover employees is too high for me to hire the people I want from the temp agency we use unless they will go without it. As an employer we do not want to employee people this way. Our employees (5) are minimum wage employees. 3) Government... My husband is a Vietnam Veteran ... give them true health coverage! We were told by one Veteran Services doctor that his hospital would not get enough money to pay for the services that he would need so we would have to go through my business insurance. Why can these services not work together as a first and second coverage? I never could get an answer. " "I am willing to pay for my heath care IF I am completely covered. No 60% for this arm but not the other. 80% at this hospital, but not that one. Flat overall coverage. If this cannot be accomplished I think it needs to be National Health Care. I do not think our health care is as high quiality as is touted. Right now, as a consumer (what a joke), I am overpaying. " Give all Americans health care. We are missing sooooooooo many. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Care for all. Care for everyday visits to chronic illness--no matter where that specialty may send the patient. Regardless of their income or skin color or pre-existing condition. "I don't have the answer here, but as an example: I have a group health insurance through my own business. My husband is a Vietnam Veteran AND is covered under my health plan. During the last two years he has been (successfully) been battling primary liver cancer. Even with these two forms of insurance we have incurred $10,000 - $20,000 in health care debt. We are told we are part of the underinsured. While working with the Oregon Insurance Commissioner, I was able to prove that $9,000 was a billing issue between the procedure database the hospital used and the one used by LifeWise Insurance. These databases are NOT REGULATED BY ANYONE! I think removing the insurance companies is a must. How that can ever happen is beyond me..especially on a federal level. Maybe this needs to be a homegrown movement on State levels first? The hardest part of the last two years (besides not knowing if my husband was going to live) was the enormous pressure of the medical bills. Hospitals and collection agencies call contantanly, some threaten you, the humanity has been lost at this end. You have to work very hard to create a healthy recuperating environment when you have a chronic illness at home. No one should have to go through that." Technology. Doctors do care about their patients and would like to see a different system as well. "I think Dental, Vision, Massage and Accupuncture should be lumped under an overall plan. These people are doctors. In my experience if more people could access regular check ups (not HMO style) there might be less emergency trips that cost the healthcare industry more in the long run. It is not a new theory...just never seems to get done." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL na 10/9/05 3:03 PM 1560 Only the affluent can afford good health care plans. The middle class have to watch out for what their health plans cover. And the poorer classes realize that they usaully get very basic care with long waits for appointments and treatments. I know this is over simplifying but it is basically honest. There is also the problem of restricting expensive care and treatments to those who have unlimited financial resources. Although years ago I would never have said this but I believe there should be a national health care program. One that would cover people from the cradle to the grave. Good basic health care. People with life threatening illnesses should not be shunned. If people want to suppliment national health insurance with additional policies that is all right. "I think a basic fee for basic services. Specialized services may have to subject to payment on a sliding scale according to income. Those at risk should be treated in a timely manner. No one should be denied treatment. This might mean longer app't waits, longer times to secure an app't except for those in crises or near crises. " We say that in America people are equal under the law. Should they not also receive treatment under an equal health status? True that income often determines what medical help we receive but all people should have a basic level of health coverage. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Prenatal, birthing, and infant care. Regular check ups, immunizations, for healthy babies. And referral for those who have problems to those who know how to treat them. Routine health check ups - tests for the most common of diseases. Prompt referral (not based on what is in the checkbook)." "I want access to a primary physician who will follow my health care. I want to be able to be referred to a specialist if I need one. Children should have the same rights. The kind of care I would expect would be through, kind, personal, and respectful. I would neve want to have a collection agency call, scream, and threaten me with jail if I do not pay the total owed (when there are small payments being made regularly as money is earned) when a loved one is suffering with a life threatening disease. This has happened in my family." "Personally, I have been raised in the Kaiser Permenente Program (60 years a member). While not perfect I feel as though they care and do their best to give good care. There are always the horror stories but having worked for them as an RN for over 12 years, I had confidence in the care they give and the way they give it than I had anyplace else I had worked." NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 10/9/05 7:35 PM 1561 "High Cost Poor Health outcomes Uninsurance and underinsurance Inappropriate reliance on ""Market Forces"" Lack of consensus of issues Lack of political leadership on health care issues" "eliminate the negative effects of competition between health insurance plans, which results in cost shift, exclusions for pre-existing conditions, high administative costs, and confusion and inefficiency for patients and providers alike" "Public is more likely to agree to paying tax to cover cost and to accepting responsibility for others' care than to agree ""up front"" to forgo some specific service. " "Pay for what works to improve health outcomes, not for overhead, profits, and insurance plan marketing." male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL preventive care stable primary care relstionships "Strong primary care relationship is essential. This requires a stable patient-provider relationship, a lot of time, and a relaxed doctor who is not swamped by administrative tasks and a huge panel of patients" "1) Stable Primary care relationships 2) evidence based decision making 3) accountability of provider for following guidelinesin selected clinical areas (blood pressure, imunization, pre-natal care.) 4)Compensation of physicians for cognitive skills, time spent, and outcomes. Salaried physicians are less preoccupied with volume of services provided. 5)electronic Medical Records (VA model)" Your work is not well enough publicized; NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/9/05 11:54 PM 1562 "The huge dichotomy in spending for ""curative"" care and prevention." "It should be completely redesigned into a single-payer, portable system modeled on the Federal Employees Health Benefit system and the Veterans Administration system." "Incentives for maintaining health, penalties for chronic disease-promotion activities such as smoking and overweight." Focus on health promotion and prevention. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Preventive services (preventing chronic disease & unintentional injury) Health promotion services (education and incentivization of health promoting behavior, e.g. physical activity and health eating)" "One-on-one relationship with a primary care provider (physician, nures practitioner, or physician's assistant). Efficient, well-run practice settings. National electronic health record system." The Veterans Administration's primary care (outpatient) services. There is no excuse for the dismal rating the U.S. has in comparison to other developed nations' health care. The influence of the drug industry and private insurers needs to be eliminated from the system. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MD 10/10/05 6:39 AM 1569 "The cost: everyone I know is paying more for health care coverage and receiving fewer services. Also, drug costs are on the rise. I think both of these factors could be solved if the insurance companies and their administrators were regulated." We definitely need national health care coverage! NULL NULL male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 10/10/05 11:54 AM 1572 The cost is becoming so outragous that the blue collar worker can not afford descent health care. What you pay for and what you get are not even close to what it should be. "Yes, I think that there should be a universal health care system that each of us americans pay into that would be free to use anytime." NULL ONE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY for the entire USA... male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Doctor visit copays so people could see the doctors without having to cost $100.00 for a 20 min consultation. Perscription cards or perscriptions at an affordable price. Lower deductables without increasing the cost of the insurance. "I just want to be able to go to a doctor, hospital or clinic and not be turned down because I have inadiquate health coverage, even though I have health insurance. Would like it available for a cost that can be affordable." "The only thing that works well is the health insurance companies sucking our wallets dry. I pay almost 1,00.00 per month insurance costs, and the insurance company gives nothing to me in the order of helping pay my medical expenses. Go to the doctor it is $100.00 and the insurance company might apply $75.00 toward your deductable and pay nothing toward the doctor bill...... $3,000.00 out of pocket is a little steep for the average joe to pay for deductables before getting ANY help from the insurance companies. Though I pay 1000.00 a month I seem to get NOTHING..." NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/10/05 1:22 PM 1576 "all about sickness, not about health and prevention. follow the money." "get young people involved in educating folks about nutrition, exercise and positive thinking." the largest trade-off is to change lifestyles. "prevention, starting with nutrition; including vitamin and mineral supplementation" male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL emergency health care is important. preventive care is vital. nutritional care is lacking; it's the best opportunity we can give to all our children at the lowest cost. thorough annual check ups work fine with me. nutritional counseling should be taught in schools. emergency medicine "cap the salaries. bring in doctors who really want to help people. get rid of the fat cats. throw away most of the drugs, or at least save them for last resort." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 10/10/05 2:59 PM 1587 Cost -- premiums and private plans Availability of Services throu Medicare and private plans Drug benefits throu Medicare and private plans Systems need to relieve burden of increasing costs to individuals and employers -- and governmenet purchase of services from private providers. Look at Oregon plan of rank ordering services that can be provided or subsidized to low income people. Extend that to all people in national plan. "Reduce administrative costs of providers, putting more funds into direct services." male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Medicare -- range of services & costs Dental Long Term Care Chose own providers and get more personal care & attention from conventional medical providers. More availability and pay for alternative providers. Public employee group plans holding down costs for services. NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/10/05 10:28 PM 1588 "excessive cost due to insurance companies paperwork demands Mental health care being addressed better could save millions of tax payer dollars on patients on state and federal aid systems who need ""someone to talk to,"" and are constantly creating imaginary physical complaints in order to see someone, ""who cares.""" NULL Hypochondria needs to be addressed. Mental health needs to be addressed on a equal footing with physical health needs female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL preventative medicine-tests free market prescription drugs Final say by clinician/not insurance company Recognition of Nurse Practitioner prescribing rights nationwide counseling/therapy/mental health help "Able to choose my clinician, not dictated by insurance company" "pharmacies, for the most part." NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/11/05 11:07 AM 1598 "most people cannot afford insurance, and with costs so high, many people go without health care or live in fear of getting sick and not being able to pay to get better. Poor priorities on governments side." "well, I don't have health insurance and can't afford to get any. I think the system should be able to help me, and my neighbors across the country. However it is cost effective to do so. (remembering that poor eating habits contribute to high costs in health care, how about we actually worked at healthier foods and diet in the US. Also, promoting excersise, which could include, planning cities better so that people could actually walk places) We would save lives, live healthier and be more productive, but certain corporations would make less money!" "lets see, how about getting rid of the department of defense, and lots of other harmful unnecessary expenses the government currently goes into debt for, and instead spend our money on good food and good health care! I think lots of people would be willing to do that!" "provide universal health care to all, like most other countries that matter do." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "affordable, accessible insurance for everyone, or affordable accessible health care for everyone who needs it. Our country squanders billions of dollars with much less benefits back than a healthy public would be worth. Positive support for alternative health care such as accupuncture, chiropractic, midwifery, and theraputic massage. More cooperation between mainstream medical and alternative healthcare groups. Patient health should be the focus! (concept!)" "I'd like to get check-ups and diagnostic tests that are really warranted, without having to spend hundreds of dollars of my own money because either I don't have insurance or my insurance doesn't cover procedures. Procedures that are supposed to save money and lives by being performed!" health insurance benefits for the wealthy and well-employed. alternative health care keeps people healthy. more education about how to live a healthy life. "We need to separate crop production which is not about growing healthy food, from the sustainable production of healthy produce and grains, grown to sustain life, not make rich corporations wealthier. People should be educated in their nutritional needs and how to meet those needs, not just advertized to on what tastes best and makes the most profits. " NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/11/05 5:28 PM 1600 That it isn't universal and available to all. It takes forever to see a doctor and they seem very reluctant to diagose or to explore further options. Prescription meds have gone through the roof. Especially for seniors who are usually on a regular program of pills. That is a very big tangle of worms. I almost think we should take on Canada's approach. I have no idea. Real people listening to the real people that need medical help. Everything is not manifested in the same way. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "All the preventative services, treating the whole person." "I want it delivered quickly, not months to appointments. I also want it delivered personally. More doctors with smaller case loads." "Highly specialized areas for cancer, etc." I have a friend whose wife died of a rare cancer. She received the help that she could get at great cost to them. She has passed away. My father has had several rounds of cancer treatments over the years. His onocologist follows him closely with a personal interest. My father is still with us after over 20 years of the threat. It all takes true heartfelt investment on the part of the doctors and staff. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 10/11/05 10:03 PM 1638 Too much money is spent on technology (what we demand) and not enough on the people who provide it at the level of he community (what we need) "Get all the convoluted third parties out of the chain - - - subsidize the technology and the positive externalities, education etc directly. Create catatrophic sickness insurance only and let the market take care of the arms length transactions at the level of the community. Get rid of entitlement mentality that the governement perpetuates" "The american public has been oversold on medical technology and our health care systems ability to provide ""aging with grace"" (aka aging without getting old) and political promises of freedom from pain and suffering from illness or financial hardship - - - you don't get something for nothing, Until we start being honest about demographics, the costs which have been put off from the past, then Americans won't trade off anything!!!! Politicians promise, then pray that better management will provide things at budget." "Nationalize it and get rid of all the layers of complexity, third parties and adminstration that don't do anything productive in health care (but then there goes 1/4 of the national economy) " male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Ordinary care by providers we know and have had time to develop trust, someone to be the patient agent against this monster of a medical-industrial system who looks out for our individual health needs - - - not the ""systems"" needs." "Care given by people, not machines or computers" "If people are reasonably educated and can articulate their problem in the same language as the providers and the system - they can get incredible care quickly and accurately. Xrays, laboratory, surgery and hospitals in general are very patient centric." "The free-market laizez-faire economists fail to understand that much of health care is not a market good. The product of health care services is relationships NOT lab test, procedures, and technology - those are means to an end, not ends in and of themselves." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WI 10/12/05 1:38 PM 1640 "The lack of a general health care system for the everyday American who needs care! How can Canada, etc., have a healthcare system, and we don't? It costs much, much more for all of us,when folks to finally show up at the ER or ambulance, because they had no health care insurance/provisions until the situation deteriorated to such an extent - " "Yes, the super rich (owners of the means of production) should stop getting Bush's tax breaks and pay for part of the workers' medical/dental insurance...the workers who make them rich. There is a law of reciprocity, and if we continue to underwrite those who take their production to the cheapest source of labour, we will all end up bankrupt, physically, morally, and economically. The US of A is eroding, seriously eroding. ---Have folks do community service in exchange for points/ to help toward health care, Rx's, whatever, people just need something to do to earn their share of the assistance. ---Ask my doctor: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX he can tell you. " "I think we are SPOILED BRATS for the most part, as an American, I am tired of hearing folks gripe about whatever, just get over it! Be REAL! This utopia we have fostered, and continue to foster on ridiculous TV shows, is a bunch of malarky. And you in government, stop capitulating when folks whine, we cannot afford to try to recapture Mr Bush's popularity through throwing millions of dollars at situations he's getting heat on...he deserves heat for being incompetent! let's get out of the swamp of Iraq, use our money to save whatever's left in America...before there is nothing left to save!" "GET THE HELL OUT OF IRAQ! GET THE MONEY AND USE IT TO HELP WITH OUR OWN - CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME, OR YOU WILL NOT HAVE ONE! I AM SICK AND TIRED OF PAYING FOR BUSH'S EGO, IGNORANCE AND GREED - AND THAT OF HIS CRONIES. GET SOME GUTS, CONGRESS AND SENATE, AND TELL HIM NO. WE IMPEACHED NIXON ON A HELL OF A LOT LESS! " female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Routine maintenance checks, annual physicals, pap tests/mammograms/testicular cancer tests for those age-appropriate groups. We do not need to be buying twenty thousand dollar stomach stapling operations for people who not even putting any money back into the system, ask me I know of at least two such operations here in Clatsop County, what a waste of money, when my son has to beg for his psychotropic medications for bipolar - to avert suicide! Let's see... too fat in your pants? Well, maybe we should fund a Weight Watchers for low-income women, not give them a carte blanche for $20-30K surgeries!!!!! What are we teaching their children, grandkids? ""Just scam the system, it is unfair anyway, so take what you can???"" Dental care for kids especially, otherwise they get serious infections from unfilled cavities." "The most important piece to me is COMPETENCE - I do not care if they have a sweet bedside manner. I do not want the INSURANCE providers to be the folks who set medical policy, i.e., length of stay, medicines accepted, rejected, etc. The Insurance industry is now the richest entity in America, in bed with the Rx companies, could everyone just quit ""needing"" to gut the system, get theirs and run out of the country? Could we run ads on TV, in the magazines, newspapers, talking about the greedy emulating a giant snake eating its own tail?! Why not ask experts about delivery? Kaiser Perm? NWest Medical teams? The Red Cross? " "Kaiser Permanente, when I worked for them, they had top notch folks, paid them decently, treated them well, and gave as much thrifty health care in reasonable increments, to as many folks as possible. See above for other types. Ask my doctor: Thomas Duncan, MD 503-325-9131 - he can tell you. Have folks do community service in exchange for points/ to help toward health care, Rx's, whatever, people just need something to do to earn their share of the assistance." "MY FATHER WAS A NAVY VETERAN OF WWI AND WWII, DURING WWII HE RE-ENLISTED AS A FORTY YEAR OLD - BECAUSE HE WAS A DOCTOR, AND KNEW HE WOULD BE NEEDED. HE REQUESTED PEARL HARBOR, IN SEPTEMBER OF 1941, BECAUSE HE ""FIGURED THE JAPS WOULD HIT THERE FIRST."" (NO RACIAL SLUR INTENDED). AFTER THE WAR, HE WORKED FOR THE VETERANS ADMIN HOSPITAL for 22 years- AT AMERICAN LAKE WASH, AS A PSYCHIATRIST - TRYING TO HELP VETS WITH PTSD, ETC. MY FATHER TAUGHT US TO LOVE THIS COUNTRY, AND I DO. MOST AMERICANS DO, AND WE DO NOT DESERVE THE TREATMENT WE ARE GETTING. WE ARE ASKED TO SHOULDER THE TAX BURDEN FOR A CAPRICIOUS, FOOLISH WAR, AND REWARDED WITH OU-SOURCING, union busting, LACK OF EDUCATION,and the ultimate slap in the face: BLAME FOR GETTING OURSELVES INTO THESE PRECARIOUS SITUATIONS, I.E., NO HEALTH INSURANCE, BECAUSE THE job got cut. My GOD, and I mean that sincerely, GOD help us if we don't snap out of it and get down to brass tacks." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/12/05 6:44 PM 1642 Too much waste and not enough emphasis on prevention. Single payer system for basic health care is needed. The best argument is the advantage of economies of scale and govt bargaining power for medicines. Medicare is a good example of economies of scale in terms of administrative costs (2% to 4%) and the VA is a good example of quality control in medical care. NULL The pharmaceutical industry needs to be reigned in and physicians need to better stewards for prescription medicines. NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Transparency is important. Information on the performance of hospitals and individual providers should be made widely available. Also costs for individual procedures should be made available. Make patients responsible consumers by reducing moral hazard via copays that are high enough to motivate patients to look for the most cost efficient hospitals or clinicians. Some of these techniques are already being experimented with and show promise. NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/12/05 6:51 PM 1644 cost. and the tendancy toward pharmaceutical solutions. "Socialized medicine is the only way to effectively provide health care to all members of society. We do it now through the ER systems and the hospitals absorb the cost, which is pased on through higher health care costs..." "none. We, the spoiled American people want it all. I feel we already have privatized social medicine, administered by the insurance companies. Unfortunately it doesn't cover everyone. Whether it would cost more or less, were it run by the government, is an age old political debate." "Stop feeding the pharmaceutical companies and put money into wellness campaigns, preventative information, and fitness. Streemline patient care at the ER level. Recognize that poor people use ER's as an urgent care clinic. Supporting and developing this process, rather than ignoring it and closing ER's, will legitimize this health service which serves some of the poorest in our society." male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "holistic and ""alternative"" medicine. and trauma insurance." "very oddly worded question, how do I want it ""delivered""? I would like to have health care professionals who are open to, and educated about a broad range of alternative practice, and who integrate their understanding." ER and trauma response. "nah,, I've gone on enough..." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 10/12/05 7:06 PM 1646 The lack of it. People who work do not always have health care and for this reason they do not or cannot go to a doctor. When there is a health problem they wait until it is so bad that they have to go to emergency. Since they might not be able to pay it is passed on to the insurance company who in turn raise rates. "We need to lower the qualifications so more people can be eligible. I fortunately have health care, but I would like to see all people be able to have it." i for one am willing to pay higher taxes for the care of people. If we are able to stop people from unnecessary going to emergency room we will lower the cost of hospital care. NULL male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Being able to get periodic check ups. Also if drugs are needed a prescription plan. "I would prefer a PPO, but if that is not possible an HMO would be another alternative. The most important thing is having a doctor who genuinely cares about your situation." NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/12/05 7:15 PM 1653 "Prescription drugs in general, and surgery seem to be the only remedies,that many and most doctors re- commend for recovery from years of wrongful living habits. This will never be a permanent solution for genuine health care for anyone. " "A complete overhaul of the current Tax Code, and pay benefits to people that stay healthy, instead of paying for the sick and ill that have violated nature's law, either knowingly or ignorantly." NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "The choice for organic fruits and vegetables, grown on rich fertile soil with all the minerals intact, and at the free disposal of the vegetation; in place of the failed treatment of drugs and surgery. " NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/12/05 7:59 PM 1655 being able to get the best medical help available and afford it. "I believe that the individual should pay something; it is an attractive benefit to get health care from an employer; and for the few remaining who can't work or are disabled and can't work, the government should help." "Again, everyone should pay something. Let them choose what they are willing to pay and get. Don't dictate what everybody should have. America is a democracy, not a monopoly!" Let them choose...and expect them to pay something. Let them pick their doctors...but don't make it so they are denied the best medical because they can't afford it. Maybe there could be a scholarship or charity amount for hard cases. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Meeting the needs of family members--annual checkups, eyes, teeth, physical. And then to be able to see specialists as needs arise, and between insurance and co-pay be able to afford to do everything possible to get medical attention." "I like to pick my own doctors. I want the best they have to offer. I don't like being disqualified from better care because my insurance isn't adequate. A choice should be given to the individual person whether they want to pay the differential or if they want to accept what the insurance company will pay. The worst thing would be to get poor care, or not be able to get necessary tests or health care because one cannot afford it." I think individuals understand they have to pay something. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Someone pays! Gov't sponsored health care winds up serving a less than acceptable health care choice for people. There should be free market. Doctors should not have to leave an area because the insurance companies sue them outrageous amounts. Whose pockets are we really padding here? We are fortunate and have enjoyed excellent health care as our needs have demanded. The system works when it is fair and equitable and no one segment makes outrageous amounts of money off others. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MO 10/12/05 9:55 PM 1656 Government involvement makes all pricing non competitive whether it is a good doctor or hospital or a bad one. As a person should be able to chose who to go to. A medical expense account would benefit everyone. As this socialism gets futher intrenched in our system the lines are getting longer at the government sponsored HMO's. "It should all be paid by individuals,and if the government excutives think taxpayers should fund everyong then a medical expense account would be the way to go." I don't beleive we should make any more trade-offs Quit insuring us female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Frankly, the government was never supposed to provide health care and just because some want it is no reason to provide it." Having a choice in the matter. Private health care. This socialism is bad for the country. NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/12/05 10:45 PM 1657 We can't afford it. Health insurance is too high. The State health insurance doesn't pay enough to providers so there aren't very many to choose from. Our VA benefits are being denied so we are stuck with huge bills that were supposed to be paid. Monthly payments help but on unemployment the money will run out soon. What can be done to make health care affordable to families? Affordable to families as a group insurance. not sure since jobs with benefits are becoming scarce. Major medical insurance and savings account that can be used as a tax deduction. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "We want to be able to choose who we have as a provider and be able to make monthly payments that are affordable like $50 a month. Also, affordable hospital insurance that covers everything without a co-pay. Major medical is desperately needed." "We want to keep our family physician and dentist. Also, be able to afford emergency care when needed (major medical)." Make sure people with disabilities are receiving their benefits. It is very stressful for people with disabilities and are unemployed. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/12/05 11:56 PM 1658 The cost of co pays becoming mandatory at dr offices and hospitals for low income people that dont have enough money to pay for all of them. For example OHSU will not see a patient now unless they pay the co pay first. NULL NULL NULL male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL assistance from medicaid for low income seniors that have a lot of medical problems and medical bills including medications. The system does not work for seniors that cant qualify for medicaid because the cant qualify because they can do too many things for them selves. NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/13/05 9:10 AM 1670 Rising costs "Keep government out of it. Expand FSA plans to allow a roll-over of unused funds, and make HSA plans easier to participate in" "I would be willing to trade for fewer medical lawsuits. I would take higher deductibles I want catastrophic care. I believe that many public agencies have benefits at levels the private sector cannot afford. I hate to pin it on public agencies, but that does seem to be where the strongest union hold is, and they really want to make sure their members have as low of cost health care as possible. Tax doolars pay for these benefits." Let people have more control - male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Covering catostrophic illness without bankruptcy I shop my dental expenses for the best value for the price. I work with my doctor as to when I need and don't need. "Pre-tax benefits such as Section 125, and higher deductiblw style plans including HRA's and HSA's" NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/13/05 11:11 AM 1678 Costs of services I beleive that government should set the policy for health care coverage. The benefit package should be standardized across the country . The amont of benefit in each benefit calss should be standardized. Benefits amounts greater than the standard package could be purchased as riders. We want everything and are unwilling to pay for the services. We want all servies provided even when the care is futile costly and of little value for improving overal life expectancy. "A system that would have the emplouers, individuals and government paying a proprtionate share to encure all americans have access to a quality basis health care package. The public and the government would understand this statergy would allow all to have accees to care with the trade off being that some services would only be available by purchasing supplimental insurance. The good would be that the overall health care status of americans could be improved and access to certain services and experimental procedures would be sponsored by government approved sites or privately arranged studies with government sopnsorship." male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL A basic benefit package should be available fto alll Americans. High cost technology and technological services could be made avaibale as a supplemental insurance policy which could be purchased. I want access to my own physician and to be able to seek care from any qualified physician within the US. I may not have coverage for the services that I want with my basic health service package however I should be able to obtain the specialized services through my suppliment insurance. speailized high technology services works well however are costly and afford little overall improvement in life expectancy or overall health status. NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 10/13/05 11:58 AM 1681 I find it unfortunate that in a industry so crucial that there are people at the top making millions. To me this type of thing should be regulated so that people aren't paying over the top prices just to allow others to profit hugely. I think that the individuals and employers paying is great. I actually don't believe the government should be paying for healthcare. "Probably get rid of a lot of the ""fringe"" benefits and get more focused on quality/affordable basic healthcare/prescription care." I don't know enough about the situation to comment. male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL There really isn't anything special that I would want. Just the ability to get checked on regularly and be able to be seen when illness or injury occurs without having to pay more than I should Being able to get care in a resonable amount of time. "So far in my short time being employed, everything seems to work fine." NULL NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 10/13/05 12:55 PM 1683 "Lack of a national and state healthcare, regardless of income, age, education, race..." "Perhaps the organizations who benefit from healthcare should help to pay -- drug and insurance companies, etc." I believe we've already traded off all possible. Accessable healthcare -- by choice -- for all! female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Access to safe and legal abortions; easy access to free or discounted birth control -- not to forget all the insurance policies that will not pay for birth control; healthcare for under-insured and un-insured; healthcare access for rural communities; lack of public preventive healthcare (pre-natal, well-baby checks, to name a few); easily accessed immunization for all ages. Also of great concern is that although Oregonian's have twice voted to have the right to self administered end-of-life medication -- the federal government wants to remove that right!" I want to select my own medical professionals and healthcare organizations. I want the right to choose the best and to make my own decisions! "Doing everything possible to continue to operate under undescribable restrictions, regulations and reductions -- with little or no change in the delivery of excellant healthcare services to our communities." "It's unacceptable, that as one of the wealthest counties on Earth, we have neighbors dying from lack of healthcare or the funding to pay for healthcare. Shame on us." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/13/05 12:58 PM 1687 "The instability of the system between insurance and health care itself. Even if you have insurance, which is too expensive, you are never certain they are going to pay a claim or not." "Yes, I think we should eliminate the health insurance middle man and have health insurance covered by non-profit organizations. Not necessarily government entities, but someone like the red cross only for health care. If we take away the profit the insurance companies are making, we could lower health care costs and help provide health care for everyone." I'm not sure we need health care trade offs if we eliminate anyone who is making money that isn't directly involved in physician care. get rid of the for-profit health care insurance companies female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "preventive care, immunizations and physicals for me and my kids. time with my physician when I have a visit so he isn't just rotating me in and out and not listening to my issues. confidence that when I undergo a procedure it is what should be happening and that when it happens it is performed with competence. And that my insurance will pay for it." I go to a GP who sees both me and my kids. I also see a women's care physician for my annuals. I like being able to talk to the doctor I want about the issues I want to address with them. "My doctor operated a small, independent doctor group and it worked very well. Unfortunately the sole hospital in our area squeezed him out of business and forced him to join their doctor group. I would like to see the doctors be able to work as individuals, or join whatever groups they want to form to provide the best kind of care they can instead of it being dictated by a hospital or their HMO." NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/13/05 1:40 PM 1688 obesity minimum health care should be provided for all at government expense none...seriously...Americans want it all Get people out of emergency rooms for colds. Provide ALL citizens with primary care physicians so the emergency room is not a clinic. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL basic health care for ALL even at the cost of specialized health care for some PREVENTITIVE medicine/healthcare be a priority that mimimal care is provided for regardless of income and employment. that I have a choice to increase my coverage and choice of doctors that non-western medical approaches be covered that mental health issues be equally covered Flexible options for care of the very young and especially the elderly. Options that don't financially penalize a family for caring for their aged relative in their home Families should be able to receive medical benefits if their caretaking is enabling a person to stay outside of a care facility "nurse practitioners choosing your primary care physician e.g. women can choose their obgyn as primary care physician programs that cover those who ""fall betweeen the gaps"" ie programs that focus on the working poor and low-income seniors who don't qualify for medicaid" We MUST as a community provide minimum healthcare for ALL and it needs to be easily accesible. NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/13/05 2:16 PM 1695 "High cost. Employers reducing coverage/increasing co-pays and premiums. Uninsured - especially because we all end up paying for them in the end. If the uninsured had affordable/accessable preventative and primary health care, they would not have to wait until the condition is out of control and end up in the ER. " "One party payer. Saves on billing, coding, policy, practice...." choices of who their carrier is prevention female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL General/preventative/primary care for all. Comprehensive prevention NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MI 10/13/05 2:43 PM 1709 "I'm extremely concerned about the growing number of uninsured Americans. We live in one of the richest nations in the world, and it is unacceptable to have such a high rate of uninsured persons. Additionally, the number who are underinsured continues to climb and is only going to get worse." "Yes!! The health care system in the U.S. is going to collapse soon if something drastic is not done. The current system is extremely inefficient with a large portion going to administrative costs (i.e. billing) which could be drastically reduced if we had universal coverage. Moreover, we would finally be able to lower the cost of pharmaceuticals as the U.S. as a whole would have much greater baragining power and would force pharamaceutical companies to lower their prices. It's a sad day when the top ten pharmaceutical companies are making more profit that the other 490 Fortune 500 companies and millions of people are unable to afford needed drugs. Additionally, savings would be realized when un/underinsured individuals were able to get preventive care, and emergency department services were actually used just emergencies, not primary care. " "Americans are slowly getting to the point where they are going to be willing to trade our current system for a system of national health care coverage. We're not quite there yet, but Americans are quickly getting tired of paying more and more (a lot more!) for health care coverage each year and the astronomically high price of pharmaceuticals. Public opinion is slowly changing as more and more people are becoming uninsured and those who are insured have trouble paying their medical bills. " It's long overdue for us to go to a national health care system. The arguments for having employers pay for our health care no longer holds true. Unfortunately these changes are not going to take place until we get the lobbyists' money out of the pockets of our politicians. Insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies (among a few other industries) have a HUGE interest in seeing that ou system does not change. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "I want everything covered, of course! :) Seriously, though, the system should treat people both when they are sick and when they are well. Preventive care is important because it not only keeps us well, but most of the time, it saves money. Dental care coverage is also important. I am very fortunate to have had healthy teeth thus far, but it really disheartens me how many state governments have yet to understand the connection between the mouth and the rest of the body. In too many states, Medicaid is no longer paying for oral health care. They are doing this to save money, but in the long run, it will cost a great deal mosre than what they saved. " I want choice in which doctor I see. I want to know that I can choose a doctor who works well with me. I also want to be able to see top notch specialists when the need arises and not have some insurance company tell me that because I do not live in the right area or do not have the right insurance coverage that I cannot visit a certain doctor. Innovation. One of the great things about our society is that we are always trying to make technological improvements. "It's time for the politicans to face the fact that our health care system is on a downhill spiral. Unfortunately, I know that our country is going to wait too long to make the needed changes, and it is going to have serious negative consequences on millions of lives. " NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL na 10/13/05 3:59 PM 1723 "Rising costs - lack of personal attention - if you don't have a job that offers health care as a benefit you are in big trouble. Health care should be a basic right. Why is good health care only available for people who can afford it? Who advocates for people who cannot advocate for themselves with health care providers (disabled people, seniors, undereducated). Why do you have to work so hard to get more than 15 minutes with a doctor?" "Yes. I want a system like Canada. I would pay more taxes for that. Or, employers could use the money they are paying for healthcare now and pay it into a government health care fund." "I'm not sure. I mentioned what I would be willing to do in a previous question, but I am not sure if most people would be willing to do the same thing." "Improve speed at which Social Security disability decisions are made. If a person is applying for disability because they've lost their ability to read, why does Social Security send her a 12-page written letter??? That makes no sense." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Health care for everyone. Affordability. Choices. Good customer service. "I want to choose my providers. However, I like an HMO/managed care type system for folks like my mother in law that need guidance and advocacy/case management. She is disabled. We were able to get her onto a medicare suplement plan with Kaiser Permanente. They take very good care of her and help her a great deal. They are a godsend. She had no healthcare for almost 2 years while we waited for Social Security Disability request to be processed. She was basically indigent and homeless. It was a nightmare and a true travisty. She worked very hard all her life and always paid taxes. She worked two or three min. wage jobs at a time. Then she had a stroke and was unable to work. If she hadn't have been able to move in with us, she would have been wandering the streets with no care at all. We couldn't afford all of her medical costs so we had to take her to ""free"" clinics. The quality of care she got there was terrible. The wait times were unbelievable. It was shocking and sad. I had no idea that our health care system was in such a disgraceful state. People deserve decent care." not a lot Drug companies should not be allowed to spend so much money advertising perscription drugs. Is the high cost of advertising their products to people who don't need them making the prices go up? Why is that the quality of care we get now is so low and the cost is so high? NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/13/05 5:27 PM 1731 "THe uninsured, the underinsured and rising costs of healthcare for all citizens." "Possibly establishing a single-payer system i.e., the medicare h.c. system guided by standards and criteria that are appropriate for children up and including those under 65 yrs. of age." "When it comes to trade offs for health care for American citizens, the only ethical and moral trade offs that needs to be made are with the pharmacudical companies, the insurance companies and some physicians who charge too much! These high profit making sources within the h.c. system of the United States (unlike all other countries in the industrialized world)are greed driven. {Plain and simple, it is WRONG!!!" "Develop a single-payer H.C.vsystem that takes the best practices that work well from the Medicare program. Next, apply this formula to a new U.S.H.C.Insurance Program (USHCIP. " female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Access to quality healthcare at standardized costs across the board. Equity for all citizens, across all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic barriers." I feel being able to choose the h.c. provider you want is significant to the patient/physician relationship. I also feel that having an established prime-care physician is the first step for insuring the delivery of quality h.c. on an on-going basis. "Preventive health care practices are cruical in reducing health care costs for all citizens. Health education programs for targeted segments of our population. For example, teenagers, the poor, single-parents, etc. " I have a question. Are the Physicians for a National Health Care Plan part of your citizens work group? Is your Work Group currently involved in or sponsoring local teaching/learning training seminars around the country? NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 10/14/05 2:26 PM 1733 Inneficiencies that lead to uneven levels and quality of care. Depending on where you live and what plan you have. Also no incentive to try simpler & cheaper methods. Too many people smoke for years and then expect me to pay for them to get care. "Basic benefit plan by feds and add ons by private compnaies. Insurers can manage the customer service aspect, but the risk and funding is handled by the feds. Idepndent board likethe Federal Reserve. EACH individual needs to be accountable and pay accordingly and penalized, as we are in car insurance market, when we make bad choices." "None and that is the problem. Everyone wants high quality an daffordable. High quality may be a simple fix, not necesarily the latest technology. As for affordable, people don't mind spending 100's on cell phones, cable/satellite or the latest clothes, but cry when they have to pay 100 per month on health care." Cut the waste and overhead of insurance companies. male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Basic, catastrophic. Anything more is add on and my expenses. If I do not pay into it, I will not value the care I receive." "High quality, not wasted." "The cutting edge, high tech stuff. Prmary care follow through and management of diseases seems weak." none NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MN 10/14/05 4:49 PM 1734 "That there are over 1.2 million Realtors that have no group benefits available to them in this country due to their independant contractor status. With one of the largest trade associations in the country, we have been denied the benefit of our purchasing power and actuarial strength by the insurance lobby due to a status that is not a valid barrier. When one group can be denied, it does not bode well for the rest." NULL Higher taxes Make something available to everyone at a reasonable cost. male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL The government employees health care plan. NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NV 10/14/05 7:38 PM 1735 "Lack of coverage and the exorbitant primiums for assembly line care. Hospitals, physicians, and insurance companies are stealing from the American people and decline care to those Americans who will not allow themselves to be robbed." "The current situation simply shows that the wealthy always win at the expense of other human beings. Market mechanisms do not work in healthcare, the American system proves that. Americans need national healthcare like all other civilized countries have. Physician training should be based on the Cuban model with government paying for education and physicians receiving incomes comparable to the rest of us not effectively becoming wealthy at the cost of the average person's health which, with the utmost irony, they claim to protect." I think we who lie in the great standard deviation of American society are ready and willing to have the wealthy pay their fair share of the burdens of the American state. National healthcare. male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Every American has a right to whatever care is necessary to maintain health whether it is information, surgery, medication, or long term care." "The first sentence is a non sequitur. How do you want your mail delivered is a question that makes sense, how do you want your health care delivered is a question that does not make sense. Clearly, the most important consideration is receiving appropriate care in a reasonable time frame, there's nothing personal about that. Equally clearly, the care needs to be effective and free of mistakes. Medical care should not involve time consuming market considerations about price or quality because those generate enormous inefficiencies by radically discounting the ""consumers"" time and placing an impossible burden of knowledge on patients who have not been to medical school." "Works well for whom? The quality of surgery I have experienced has seemed adequate though I how does a layman evaluate outcomes? How can I tell whether my surgeries were done well, poorly or average? The medical people certainly will not admit to harming me or doing a bad job and I cannot check inside myself to see." "I believe my ""elected"" representatives are too immoral to change the healthcare system." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/14/05 11:33 PM 1736 Good quality health care should be available to everyone . The right should be guaranteed. "Yes. It should be single payer. (I find it interesting that your glossary has no mention of the systems used in Canada, Australia, The United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, etc." "We could give up on the endless paperwork, the hundreds of choices of insurance companies and plans, the prejudices for groups, preexisting conditions, and bankruptcies to name a few. I think with taxes, good accounting and American ingenuity we could do it. " Do something that makes a difference and make it simple male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "preventative care, emergency care, acute, follow up, short and long termcare, physical and speech therapy, everything but elective cosmetic surgery." "Knowlegable,caring, friendly, timely Health care I think is very good. For the most part the hospitals, physicians, nurses and other support personel are great folks, doing their best. " The best systems in the U.S. today that I am familiar with are Kaiser Health Care and The Department of Veterans Affairs. Right now the non system needs help that doesn't come from lobbying and political posturing. We have a system that is embarrising and criminal. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/15/05 2:49 AM Duplicate na 1738 "What concerns me is that so many people I know don't have health care and can't even qualify for the Oregon Health Plan because there is a quota for each county on how many people can have health coverage. I believe a healthy America would be a more prosperous America. Preventive care is so much less expensive than waiting until people are really ill. The first visit to a physician is exhorbitantly expensive and if anyone is traveling outside their living area, their only option is to go to an emergency room to take care of a health care issue. The ability to get get to a larger town for more advanced medical treatments. Transportation in rural areas is really substandard." "I think there should be a single national health insurance coverage company into which underemployed and self-employed people can pay their premiums for group rates instead of having to pay high prices for individual plans. I had to cancel my health insurance policy, which was a really good one, because the company kept raising the rates so high even though I never used the policy and never missed a payment and I was always having to be on an individual plan. Also, group insurance coverage for the self-employed in Oregon is a farce; it covers practically nothing." I don't believe the 'have's' are willing to let the 'have nots' have any type of benefits or financing to access affordable health care because they believe it will be a detriment to their own decadent life styles. I think they believe the 'have nots' don't deserve health care because they are poor and that they chose to be poor. Not everyone can be successful and wealthy! For every rich person there are probably a thousand poor people. I think there should be a single national health insurance coverage company into which self-employed and under-employed and part-time employed people can pay their premiums for group rates instead of having to pay high prices for individual plans. The health insurance coverage should also provide real coverage instead of a sham type of coverage. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "The benefits important to me are to be able to see a doctor within a day or two of when I need one instead of having to wait a couple of weeks for an appointment. Having costs of basic medication covered by the health plan if I don't have the funds to pay for it myself. Having dental, chiropractic treatment, and other reasonable alternative health care covered. I also don't want to be assigned to an HMO, but want to have a choice of who is going to treat my health problems." I believe everyone should have a choice of their health care providers and the clinics to which they wish to go. I prefer to know the people who give me ongoing treatment and I don't want some HMO deciding against my doctors' opinion what my options are. I think medium sized clinics in every small town is a good idea with the option of going to larger centers for more advanced treatments. "Choice of doctors. The relative-adult foster home system works well to provide a secure environment for the sick elderly. I haven't seen it, but I read about prostate treatment for elderly men in Florida that is provided in mobile vans. " "I don't like the idea that the elderly don't need the best treatment because they will die of natural causes before their particular disease kills them first. Also, I don't like the warehousing of the elderly in nursing homes and drugging them into a zombie-like state." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/15/05 6:54 AM 1739 "Of course it has to be the high cost of insurance and of health care services. It is also concerning that there seemingly is no ceiling on amounts one can receive for malpractice, which in turn drives up the malpractice insurance costs, again adding to the overall cost of health care in increased cost of services by providers. I find it most frustrating, too, that doctors can charge huge fees for an ""initial visit"" -- and that ""specialists"" can charge hundreds of dollars for that initial visit, compared to significantly less of a charge by, say, a family physician. What makes someone's time worth $450 an hour? We as consumers have no choice, either, if we need to see a specialist. It's criminal. I'm also concerned that emergency and intermediate care emergency facilities are being used as primary care facilities by those with no insurance. They know they will be seen no matter what, the bill is huge, and we who have insurance end up paying for that in the end. Can there not be a system set up of free clinics where these folks can get the services they need? A person to evaluate who truly is an emergency could then send those who aren't to the free clinics. A visit to the emergency room for a couple of stitches should not cost over $1,000, but it easily can cost that or more. I also have a concern that medicine is formost a business -- doctors start with expensive tests which may not be necessary (1) because they will generate money for their business and (2) to protect themselves from possible malpractice charges down the road. The sue mentality is strong in America, so if there were ceilings on suits, and if lawyers had a ceiling on the amount they could charge for their services, perhaps the legal battles would subside, and help reduce costs right there!" "I agree that all should have a part in paying for this coverage, and it is concerning to see the number of people who are developing the mentality that the government should take care of us all. What happened to the idea that we have a responsibility it it, too? But that said, with costs being so out of sight, we as individuals cannot cover major medical incidents alone -- it would bankrupt most of us. This obviously is a multi-pronged problem which will require a multi-pronged solution." "Americans have to be willing to pay more out-of-pocket for things. We need to accept our responsibility in our own care. Weneed to do our part to help keep ourselves healthy, from exercising to eating well. We need to research on our own our conditions, so we can be informed consumers, and oversee our own well-being as well as knowing our health care options. We cannot expect a doctor to be up on the latest everything, so if we are willing to do our own research into possibilities, this might be very helpful. We need to stop expecting doctors to ""know it all."" That's a rediculous expectation in this age of rapidly-increasing information and knowledge." Get regular exercise and eat well -- no one cares as much about your health as you do! Get out of the mentality which expects others to do FOR you -- how about WITH you instead? female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Major health coverage. We can cover the office visits (though I do find if we need to see a ""specialist"" that their visits are astronomical -- my husband saw a ""sleep specialist,"" for example, and the bill was out of sight). What we carry insurance for are those unexpected and catastrophic events -- like when I had a reptured appendix, and had to spend a week in the hospital. Any hospital stay should be covered, I think, and the day-to-day we can cover and do. Also a bit of regulation with regard to medications would be nice. I also think folks are overmedicated -- doctors not talking together about their patient to provide the best care with the least medication necessary -- don't mess with one's biochemical system any more than absolutely necessary. This, again, would mean that doctors would have to look at the big picture rather than the short-term one. Take, for example, what can happen to folks taking chemotherapy for cancer: that cancer can be cured, only to then have the patient develop some other problem like congestive heart failure or another cancer, like leukemia, precisely due to the chemotherapy treatment. Often people are not given the whole picture of what might be coming down the road when being treated from something. Informed decisions and whole pictures should be the norm. " "I want to be able to choose my doctor. I want to be able to say that I do not want a treatment and not be made to feel like a fool. I want to be in partnership with my health care provider -- I certainly know my own body better than anyone else, and need to be heard about what I know. I do not want to have to wait days to see someone, but should be able to get into a doctor same-day or next-day at the latest if I am really sick. I want to have access to research on health concerns and then be able to discuss those with the physician -- I do not want to be treated like a child, but rather as a well-informed adult. I want information to be relayed between doctor offices -- too many people have been mismedicated or mistreated because one doctor was not in contact with another, when both were treating the same patient, but for different issues -- again this fact that doctors tend to have tunnel vision and tend to focus on their area of concern for the patient rather than remembering to ask about the whole person, and what's going on in the rest of that person's life. Doctors need to remember the ""big picture"" and not just focus in on their area of expertese when treating a patient -- it all goes together." "Doctors are learning to listen more to the patient, and to see more than a small part of the picture. They are learning the benefit of being in partnership with their patients. " "I believe the fear of malpractice and the greed factor of patients and lawyers are driving up the costs of health care. I also believe there needs to be some review of who gets what care -- just because we can do something, does that mean we must do it? Patients need to be reminded of the ""big picture"" -- take, for example, the idea of keeping someone alive. Just because one can be kept alive doesn't mean one should be kept alive. My father-in-law had fallen and broken his leg. He required surgery. His history of emphasema meant he ended up on a ventilator for several days. When he came off, he'd lost his ability to swallow, which meant he had a feeding tube inserted. He also had to have a catheter, which then led to his becoming dependent on that, too. He seemed to spiral down and down, and doctors never addressed the issue of our all having to die sometime (he was 87). Instead, they kept offering to ""cure"" him -- what they really meant was that he would be bedridden but alive. Once we confronted the doctore with what he really meant, informed decisions could be made by my father-in-law. People want to be offered hope, but also need some reality in there, too. It is a tricky balance, and perhaps this is why medicine is as much an art as it is a science. We all need to remember that. I would urge you all to go study what happens in most veterinary practices these days -- there is much the medical community could learn from them. A high percentage of veterinarians are now women, and perhaps this is what is causing the changes seen in this field. Whatever it is, there is a much more compassionate approach to care than we as humans receive. I have often said to our vet that I wish I could get that sort of care from my doctor! It's a caring, inclusive partnership between vet, staff and owner. We work together for the wellbeing of the animal, and we look at things realistically, offering hope balanced with practicality, and leaving the ultimate decision in the owner's hands. It is a system I strongly encourage you to review -- you'll be amazed!" NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/15/05 10:46 AM 1740 "What concerns me most about healthcare in America is the cost. Premiums are too high, as a result many people can't afford healthcare. I believe every person in this country deserves adequate healthcare whether they can afford it or not." "I don't think that employers should bear the cost of healthcare insurance. Since I believe that everyone should have the right to healthcare, I believe that we should have a National Health Plan. Since Medicare can administer its health plan for around 2%, which is a lot less than most health insurance companies, I think that we should have a plan modeled and administered similarly to Medicare. In fact, perhaps if we had a National Health Plan, we should just expand Medicare. By doing so, we could probably fund it through a reduction of medicaid expenses, and I would increase the medicare withholding tax to make up the difference." "Personally, I wouldn't mind an increase in my medicare withholding if it meant that no one in the country would be uninsured, because if everyone has access to basic healthcare, our overall medical costs should go down." I want National Health Insurance. IT would be better for our economy as well female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "I believe strongly in preventative health care, because in the long run it can keep healthcare costs down. I also believe a regular physical is important in keeping healthy. I believe that having access to non-traditional as well as traditional medical treatments is also important" "I think if we had a National Health Plan that covered basics, ie preventative medicine, emergencies,life or function threatening conditions, non-elective surgeries, it could co-exist with supplemental coverage offered by regular insurance companies to cover elective procedures etc." "There seem to be plenty of medical facilities available, and plenty of specialists." NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/15/05 3:19 PM 1741 "Our inability to get the right care to the right people at the right time. We invest so much in high tech care that only a few can afford and that only helps a few and we ignore the every day needs of the majority because it will not make doctors, pharmaceutical companies and specialty hospitals rich. I care a lot about women's health care, especially care for pregnant women, and believe women with money think they are getting the best care if they have surgery and women without money know they are just lucky to get care so they do not dare have an opinion." "We have proven over and over again, that this system will bankrupt us all because when the doctors are in charge they will put their personal needs first and when the MBAs are in charge they will put money first. The docs like to scare us into thinking that what Canada or England have is worse, but they are wrong. Just take a look at maternal and infant mortality and morbidity statistics and tell me which system is better for moms and babies! " I hope we are willing to give up all these infertility treatments that result in multiple babies. It is so lucrative that ethics do not matter. I hope we are willing to give up transplants and other expensive treatments for patients who have no hope of living a life outside a hospital or high level care facility. How did Oregon do this? "Restructure payment for education. We do not need more doctors but we do need more nurses, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners who are willing to work with all patient populations, not just those with money. I know not all doctors are greedy, but it seems that the greedy ones have the most influence over health policy. Reward doctors who are willing to work collaboratively" female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "I want a thorough annual exam with a careful review of my health history. I want my annual screening tests (lab, xray, ultrasound)without major hassles/delays. I do not want to be forced by my insurance company to change providers every year or even more often. The fact that it takes me days to find someone to accept a referral under my middle class health plan is disgusting! doctors used to discriminate against Medicaid and Medicare patients, now they discriminate against all sorts of health plans and we as patients have no choice! I want access to care by certified nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to be equal to access to doctors. If I have a terminal illness I do not want the government to tell me how I will die." "I want to choose my health care provider based on knowledge, skill and compassion. I would be happy to be part of a clinic like Mayo Clinic where they have figured out how to treat patients and families in a holistic way. I do not want to be forced to see a doctor if I would prefer to see a nurse midwife or nurse practitioner. You will not have to look too far to find that organized medicine is actively involved in blocking licensure laws and access to hospital privileges for non physicians. Look at the rising c section rate and ask yourself if this is not predictable: the government is subsidizing the education of ob/gyns who spend much of their training time learning to be surgeons and more women are having their babies via surgery. There is plenty of data on how collaborative practice increases access to care and does not compromise safety, but unless the government makes this a priority it is too difficult to fight organized medicine. " "I loved my experience with a doctor/nurse midwife practice. The doctor was there if I needed medical care. Since I did not, he gave his attention to those who needed it. The nurse-midwife gave me the attention I needed to stay healthy and feel confident. I learned so much about my health that has carried on for years and I want that experience to continue. A friend went to Mayo Clinic and I was so impressed by the team approach they used to care for her. The case manager, who was a nurse, kept everything running like clock work and assured that all of her questions were answered. No screwed up testing schedules, no breakdown in communication, no ego trips that intimidated her! " "Focus on the poor. If they are healthy, the rest of us will be better off too! " NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL DC 10/16/05 4:19 PM 1742 lack of access to services for women and children for basic health care prevention "I believe this system should remain in place but costs that go toward high tech expensive treatments for persons unlikely to benefit from them should be rationed and that money shifted to preventative health care that is evidence-based like mamography, pap tests, vaccinations" "the public at large is not interested in trade-offs which is why Congress needs to quit worrying about image and do the real work.," tackle rationing female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "primary care, mental health services, " personal care from a primary care group "nurse-midwives in practice with obstetricians, and family practice MDs hospice care" we need broader access to hospice care and to nurse-midwifery services NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 10/16/05 5:37 PM 1743 It needs to be universal. Someone accessing the emergency department as their primary care for severe illness impacts us all! It should have nothing to do with employment. I should have to do only with living here. We all pay when someone is very ill. To accepting a basic health care package that cuts the frills. Adopt a universal health care model of health insurance for our country. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Basic services: primary care, prenatal care" "Primary care, where we access the local primary provider for our care works fine. Getting referals for speicalty can add time, but it is ok if costs are cut." "Group models of care: CenteringPregnancy model of providing prenatal care and group models for chronic care issues. Also, the Group Health Cooperative health care. " Prevention is the key. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 10/16/05 6:36 PM 1744 "I think the federal government is doing as much as it can. Medicare is going to go broke just like social security. More and more keeps being added to it. Where is the money going to come from? I had cataract surgery recently and although the insuramce paid most of it, I was still responsible for almost $1,000 of it. I'm on a fixed income and it is difficult but not impossible. Not all people can afford it. I'm switching to an insurance that will, at least, give me one bill, instead of 4. What can be done? The aging of our population is ongoing but our money supply is finite. Thank you. 'T" Encourage children to support and care for their parents. Our government is finite. So is the money. "Those who are subsidized may need to share the wealth, so to speak. Decrease the all encompassing health care of the poor and spread it out to encompass the middle class as well. " Encourage familites to care for one another. Children should be encouraged to look after their parents and siblings. Government can't do it all. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Our health system is going under from what we are using now. Hospitilization and long term care are of most importance to our aging population. I'm 64 and have a mother of 83 that I care for. For those of us able to do so, we will be alright. But my mom never put aside anything and worked leas. Her soical security check is $181.00 per month. How could she live on that if not for her family? Maybe we should encourage children to take care of their parents. Thank you." "My family has a doctor we've seen for years. Because of her lack of income, the facility treats her kindly and writes off a lot of her billing. Nothing major, but every month. Our economy runs on individuals and their income. The federal government has a finite amount of money that can only go so far. Its up to individuals to plan for their health care. Thank you." "Small clinics who know their patients well. The big institutions work well for some people but not all. If you're income puts you in the middle, you'd better have a family plan of caring for each other. Thank you." "It's the best in the world but all systems have their drawbacks. Better than Canada. And from what I've heard, alot of European patients. " NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/16/05 8:31 PM 1756 "Our health care is only available to those who can afford it, or to the very poor. The citizens in the middle income range often go without preventative care or maintenance care. They go for treatment only when they are very ill. Treating the very ill cost alot more than preventative treatment. We can loose a life with this mentality." Use income to determine a sliding scale for payment. No income-no fee. Everyone should be entitled to the same level of care. Our current system is out of whack. We have many middle income people without insurance. Many folks have jobs but cannot afford to pay for insurance for themselves or families. As a government we need to provide for all. I don't think the rich are willing to make any. Those that can will probably pay for themselves. I think the middle class might be willing to go to systems like the Kaiser model the poor will be happy for any improvement on the status quo. Health care should be a right not a privilege for all Americans. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL I think this country should be able to provide socialized medicine as in Canada and Sweden. We spend money on Iraq but do not provide free basic medical care to our citizens. Cradle to grave care is important to me. "I would like to go to the same dr. and hospital near my home. I would like to choose my dr. I want good quality medical care. And, I want my dr to determine the direction on my care. My dr. should make the decisions regarding my test and procedures." Kaiser Foundation seems to work well in Ca. "I am an advanced practice nurse. I have worked at Harlem Hospital, Columbia Pres., Northwestern, VA and Cook County Hospital during my career of 40+yrs. I have observed many of the problems of which I speak." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 10/17/05 11:54 AM 1769 "The lack of health care available to many citizens and non-citizens of the United States. The cost of health care, even to those who have insurance, makes it prohibitive to receive preventative care and complete the advised treatments (medications, etc.)." "I think the whole system needs to be reevauated. I work in the health care system and insurance companies as well as the government reimbursement needs to be more streamlined.There is a large amount of time and energy spent on excess and repetative paperwork. Tests and health care is duplicated due to the lack of an accessible medical record (we need computerized charting/records that can be reached by all health systems). Reimbursement should be based on research that validates what treatment options, health care providers, etc. provide the most efficient care with the best outcomes. An example is technology versus people. I can get reimbursed for an ultrasound but not for counseling or even some medications. Technology is expensive. We must weigh the cost versus the outcome value. " I would like to see more money put into preventative health care and less money in the military. We cannot afford to continue to provide health care in the sporadic and unaccountable way that currently exists. There will be a loss of health care professional and an increasing ill public. We need to reconsider providing all of our high technology (very costly) for getting the most health care to the most people. There is a limited resource...how do we want to spend it? There are many ethical decisions that need to be made. Basic health care should be available to everyone. No one should be denied care. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Annual health screening (medical exams and testing). Reimbursement for a variety of health care professional (Advanced Practice Nurses, Physicians, Physical Therapists, Counselors, etc.) Reimbursement for treatments ordered (medications, testing, therapy). Reimbursement (or payment) for specialists as needed. Counseling options available on an as needed basis. Payment for emergency visits and treatments. Dental and vision screening available. Payment for surgeries and long term hospitalizations. Partial payment for nursing homes and/or home care long term treatment options. Hospice care reimbursement **Prenatal and well child care " "Personalized, consistent care shows to have the best outcomes for people. Providers are being pushed to see more patients every day and this does not benefit the overall health care system. We also have a transient culture and job market. Many times our employer changes health care insurance or we change jobs and this results in changing health care providers, which is not cost effective or desirable. Health care needs to be available in the community and not just in major medical centers in the city. Patients should have choices on where or whom they want to deliver their health care needs. " "Support of community health clinics/offices that offer a variety of services. For example, if Pediatric care is provided in close proximity (same building) to Prenatal and Well Woman care the compliance rate for keeping their visits is improved for both specialties. For women's health care, emotion/counseling support for the socially high risk women can change the outcome of pregnancies and compliance with visits. For example, we have instituted a Centering (group) prenatal care program and the outcomes report less small babies (SGA babies- saves large amounts of money on NICU stays) and better compliance with care. Transportaion is also a big issue that determines consistant care. For example, our office received a grant and we use some of the money for bus tokens and that has improved our compliance with care. Computerized charting with a computer that can interface with other hospital, clinics, labs, etc. has huge potential to eliminate duplicate testing and increase continuity of care." "To make health care ""successful"" in America there needs to be a better coordination of efforts with the public and private sectors. Currently there is no overall common goals that are supported by the government and/or the private sector that is in the best interest of health care workers and the patients." NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 10/17/05 2:33 PM 1775 "A system without many incentives for efficiency. A system generating escallating costs now unafordible by many, spiraling out of control, on the verge of total collapse." "Pay or play to employers who do not provide a basic health plan to full time employees, and state plans for those not provided coverage due to ineligibility from employer." "Un-funded treatments or services for those items deemed to not be effective enough for reasonable treatment, such as the Oregon Health Plan list of proceedures." Reduce cost male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Health maintanance inverviews/ tests/ plans such as investigation of potential genetic pre-dispositions, then life-style changes to best deal with those pre-dispositions and follow up plan to monitor and adjust the plan." A relationship with a physician who understands your total health and provides a plan for continued good health maintanance. "Free-enterprise competition when it exists. Monopolies justifing costly purchases of equipment, builgings and staff with better treatment, testing and impact on symptoms is endless ineficient spending." Do NOT try failed systems such as the Canadian system or other state-controlled systems. NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/17/05 3:45 PM 1776 Access for the poor and reductions in the reimbursment rates for Medicare and Medicaid. Who else is there? Slow down the new technology that is always causing Dr's and hospitals to replace good technology. It is costly and unneccesary. "Get everyone insured, even minimally." male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Protection for large claims and a maximum amount that I can be responsible for if claims get large. "I want to see the same provider every time, and I want to coose who that provider is." "My overall experience has been good. I have always had good insurance, which makes it very easy to access health care and the providers." "Until all the players arrive at the table at the same time (doctors, lawyers, hospitals, consumers, pharmaceutical companies, state governments, the federal government and insurance companies) for negotiations, no one is going to be willing to give anything up." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 10/17/05 3:50 PM 1778 That millions of our citizens have no health insurence and therefore no access to medical care. "There must be universal, single payer coverage in order to provide our citizens the opportunity to be productive citizens and to provide for their families. It will even the playing feild for our employers and especially our internatinal industries who must commpete in a global business environment where all other first world nations provide healthcare for their citizens." "I well as being a wife, parent and patient, I am a physician who has some of the best medical coverage available. I order to broaden access to all, I would pay higher taxes, and accept deminished benefits and privately suppliment whatever I felt I WANTED which would not otherwise be provided." "Leave no man, woman, child, elder behind! Offer universal coverage." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Coverage for preventive care, emergency care and full hospitalization as well as prescription drug coverage for all." "It should be accessable. When my family or I need care, it should be there. It should be based on the best scientific evidence available, untainted by political special interests." "For those of us with the best insurence, most aspects of the system work, especially the most intensive care aspects." "Healthcare in America requires not only attention to providing medical cares for all our citizens, but also the public health care system infrastructure is in desparate need of improvement." NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 10/17/05 4:19 PM 1783 "Personally, In 2006, I will be paying over $6000 (slightly over 15% of my income) a year for medicare Part B, a medicare supplement, and Long Term Home Care. I can't even get an appointment for basic lab test such as: Blood Pressure, Blood Cholestral, Blood Sugar, etc. These are supposed to be preventive measures. " "As an individual with a modest income, I understand helping others. But I do think that physican assistants, nurse practioners or someone should be able to provide the preventive testing and screening so that no elderly person or any person for that matter should be told that we aren't accepting any new medicare patients at this time. " "I think Americans would like as much attention to their needs as we give to other countries' needs. However, I don't think younger people actually think of health as a priority." "Stop advertising and be more honest. The medicare publication doesn't really tell you anything when you get right down to it. It tells you all the things it covers and somewhere tells you to check to see if the Doctor is accepting new patients. It should boldly say, we don't cover anything unless you can get a doctor to see you. " female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Getting simple tests to find out if I need to change my diet, exercise, or need medications. I am not one to take a lot of medicine or go to doctors unless I need to. Occassionally, I would like to know if I need to change anything that I am doing. " Would like to see that we really mean that prevention is important and all people should be able to get basic screening and lab work. I also think that Medicare and Medicare Supplements should be a lot more honest about the possibility that you aren't going to be able to see a physician unless you have a medical emergency. "I had been with an HMO through work and paid for it myself for 22 years. When my son wanted me to move near him, I read about the wonderful health care in the BEND,OR area. I knew the HMO wasn't in the area. I signed up for a Choice Plan which was advertised to pay what medicare didn't pay. It actually doesn't do that. Besides, if no one takes new medicare patients, it doesn't mean a thing. " "Face it, there is nothing for people above the poverty level and it is time we let them know that there expensive supplemental plans and what they pay for Medicare Part B means absolutely nothing in some areas. Say it loud and clear. At least, then we will know that we are on our own and going to pay for our own health needs. Perhaps, we'll cancel out medicare supplements, save our money to pay for those emergencies and have a lot more fun doing it. " NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/17/05 5:20 PM 1784 "The high cost. Last August, my family paid $226. for copays for my husband and myself. This August, we paid $1780. since we now pay out of pocket for myself and our child while I'm a stay at home Mom. My husband works for a small firm which does not offer health care coverage for family." "Yes. I think there needs to be more governmental participation that gives options to the middle class. As a stay at home Mom in a household that earns $55K per year, our health care costs frequently surpass our mortgage. It's out of control and we're healthy!" "I think people should pay higher taxes based on income to receive a base level of health care. People could choose to upgrade their plan by paying more per month to lower deductibles for example. Then, healthy people would have coverage in case they need it, and people who need regular care could pay more to receive it." We need national health coverage so that health care is accessible to all. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Affordable premiums for middle class families. People with young children and the elderly are falling throught the cracks. "I want affordable premiums, choice of providers, and better coverage for alternative health care." "Catastrophic insurance. It's cheap and if something really awful happens, you're covered." It is time for a change and this issue needs to be addressed by the Bush administration. NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 10/17/05 6:57 PM 1785 too many uninsured people - too many people in debt from high costs of treatment and/or insurance - too high costs of medicines - pharmaceutical ads on television - cost of malpractice insurance for practitioners - fear of litigation put insurance companies out of business - one-payor system - public health system available for all "gambling, luxury taxes for healthcare - tax the rich, cut social security for the wealthy, somehow equalize income between the very rich and everyone else, stop off-shore bank accounts that divert corporate money from taxes" universal health care female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL i want to see universal healthcare insurance and socialized medicine for all - limits on litigation and awards "no ten minute visits - compassionate care- ranking system for medically necessary care somewhat like the oregon health plan wrestled with, eg caring for the masses first before extraordinary services such as transplants" "maternity care for the indigent in special programs such as midwife services and social work services, rural and migrant health services" "mental health services are the worst - so many suffering from depression, adolescent suicides, drug addiction - and few services" NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 10/17/05 8:00 PM 1786 "It is unaffordable, and because of this becomes the domain of the rich and those too poor to afford anything but goverment subsidy." "Combine them into large pools, so individuals are lumped together by the thousands/millions. Maybe from there under professional organizations--ie: Mechanics of America, etc. Maybe subsidies by the government, depending upon income." "Limited benefits, but served with quality care." "Preventative, preventative, preventative. Education and testing to facilitate that. ='s save $$$$$$!!!!" male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Catastrophic benefits as well as preventative. However, preventative is ALWAYS more cost effective and better serving for patients." "More than anything else I would want good quality care. Americans will not settle for less, nor should they have to. Rural and urban health clinnics are a good way to go for a universal approach, for simple preventative care." Quality. "More PA's, nurse practitioners, dental therapists--expand their functions with the option of more education and degrees so they are able to perform more duties. Take some of the burden away from those with a doctorate, so they are able to delegate, and people of ""lessor"" but good/strong education are able to pick up these functions at a lower cost to the public. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, and England all have therapist programs for degrees we do not allow for in this country, which would serve as a model for the above." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/17/05 11:54 PM 1788 "Lack of adequate health care services to low-income Americans, lack of centralized planning, abuse of power by physician groups, underuse of midlevel providers." "Medicaid should be expanded, to be a safety net for all. This would be a form of nationalized health care. Those who can afford it would continue to have access to higher quality services. By eliminating the population of uninsured, we would improve the health of all." "Clearly, what we have at present is what they are willing to do." Expand Medicaid to cover more people. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "I want my fellow citizens to have access to care, because we all live in a closed system, like a petri dish. If some of the organisms in the system are sick, the whole system is at risk." "I am willing to pay co-pays and deductibles, but I want access to high quality care when the need arises. " "When we are very sick with something unusual, we have been able to find brilliant providers to help us." We need to make better use of nurse practitioners and nurse midwives! I am a nurse midwife and I can do for less than half the cost most of what an Ob-Gyn can do. No Ob-Gyn should be doing low-risk prenatal and delivery care. That is a ridiculous waste of resources. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MI 10/18/05 10:14 AM 1790 "Insurance coverage is not what you think it is. We have always had very good health insurance yet in my case, the insurance company decided they would not cover recovery from a serious illness and thus we have thousands of dollars in medical bills. Can't pay them." "I do not mind current systems. Again, as middle class individuals, we need protection from extreme situations, from insurance companies." Abuse and financing go hand in hand. Americans have to come to a balance. Insurance is just that. We pay thousands of dollars for insurance yet insurance companies have limited responsibility to the insured. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Protection/Coverge for unforeseen illnesses, extreme cases." Current ways are not an issue. I feel people should not be allowed to abuse the systems. Abusive cases cause higher insurance costs. Choice of care. "As an individual we see abuse all the time, both in private coverage and public coverage. Maybe a system that would make abusers pay a higher deductable" NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NH 10/18/05 4:36 PM 1791 "Two answers: First, the lack of high quality primary care doctors. Second, economic pressure to see more and more patients each day to make a practice financially viable, and much less time to talk with each patient. I have a number of health care specialists and I get nothing but excellent care from each of them. But I am tired of having my primary care doctor (who I HAVE to see to get to the specialist) spend some of our precious time together rant about how the insurance companies are squeezing him. I wouldn't be there if I didn't have a problem and questions, but I rarely get my questions asked, let alone answered. And the doctor's always running late, and leaves me in the examining room a long time seeing other patients. The doctor really doesn't know me as a person. Overall, it's a bad experience for me and the doctor and leads to more quality health care. FYI: I have switched primary care doctors several times over the years trying to find one who treated me as a whole person, but they're pretty much all like this. " NULL NULL People need to get involved in their own health care. Don't assume the doctor knows everything because frequently he may not remember anything about you. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "I want a real relationship with my doctor in which I feel he/she actually knows something about my health other than a few jotted notes he can't read. I want him/her to have the time for me to ask all my new questions and have the doctor followup on my previous visit/problem without me having to remind him about everything that was said and done. AND I want to know that if I make an appointment at a specific time, barring a real emergency, I'm going to see the doctor close to that specific time. " "My 84-year-old mother had a total knee replacement recently. The hospital had a joint replacement center. A week before the procedure we were invited there to meet the staff and learn about the procedure. After the procedure, with only 7 or 8 patients in the center, the nurses had time to really take care of my mother and she knew everyone's name. I've never seen a hospital team work together better. I wish every hospital team could do that." "Insurance companies should not be deciding what health care my doctors feel I should get. Even if they don't dictate the specific meds or procedures (which they do), time and money pressures they exert make it hard for me to get what I think is quality health care." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MD 10/18/05 5:02 PM 1792 "1)We spend 3 times the amount of money other industrialized countries spend and half of our citizens get care. 2)We exclude competent providers like nurse-midwives who have been shown to be a cost-effective, safe care provider by restrictive legislation, regulation, and reimbursement practices. 3)People have no choice of provider. We must take what our insurance policy dictates. 4) Our businesses bear the burden making them less competitive with other countries. " It should be individuals paying into a sinlge payer government system that allows us to choose our provider for basic services. People could buy more insurance if they want over and above the basic coverage. A small co-pay may be advised as well. I would rather pay a health care tax than make a health insurance payments. If companies wanted to pay the heatlh insurance tax for their employees as a benefit then that would be fine. "A basic level of health care for all people that includes midwifery. Starting the health care off right before one is born, empowering women to make good health care choices, and providing a basic level of health care for all will do a lot for saving health care dollars over all. " female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "1)Midwifery care 2)Basic check-ups, vaccinations, emergency services, long-term and home health care,dental care, technology and medications when needed. 3)Choice of provider" "I like to be able to choose my providers and health care setting. I believe health care provided in the home, work setting, community is usually better utilized than if one has to travel a long distance. I actually prefer most nurse practitioners to most MD for basic physicals and general check-ups." I have been in a health dept. that had physicians and midwives working side by side to provide care at the level the client needed. The midwives saw everyone the first visit and consulted and comanaged with the physicians those needing medical attention. The C-section rate was quite low and the outcomes for moms and babies equal or better than most hospital practices. "We need a way to take the unhealthy competition out of health care. It is OK to strive to have competition to deliver the best care, but I see physicians, drug companies, insurance companies all trying to make a buck off of sick people. People should be paying in when they are well, not when they are sick." NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL VA 10/18/05 7:15 PM 1793 High drug costs NO I don't know! I do not want government run health care! Government needs to stay out of people's lives. Regulate prices for doctors and drug companies. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Low cost doctors and hospitals and medicene I want to be able to choose my own doctor and hospitals. "I think our system works well, it is just that the price for the care or medicene is obscene! Regulate the drug companies or let us buy medicene from anywhere!" Too many people take advantage of the system. I'd like to see NO WELFARE! NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/18/05 9:49 PM 1794 Current and future healthcare cost Tax Credits for Employer and Employees Control over healthcare spending Partial self funded medical plans male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Incentives for behavier Able to pick your own providers of care Free Market System for research and development Ration healthcare NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 10/19/05 12:09 AM 1798 "The cost shift is ocurring from employers/government to consumers without the necessary education and access to information that the consumer would need to make the tough decisions between cost and health outcomes. For example, if my options for dx imaging range from a $200 xray to a $1000 CT scan, my provider (or their staff) need to be able to not only outline for me the pros and cons of the different imaging systems, but also the cost difference so that I am informed enough to consent to paying quite a bit more in copays/coninsurance for the added benefit as it was explained to me. As we watch low-income, then middle-class, than upper class folks having to weigh cost as one of the factors in choosing treatment plans, they must have access to the costs of different services. Right now this is not readily available through providers or insurance companies unless the patient has been given a CPT and ICD9 coding combination." "I believe that continuing to include the employer community keeps the competitive price controls in place. However, I think that more of the government assistance should be in the form of 1) group purchasing perscriptions by reimport from Canada or direct legislation about what I consider to be unethical price gouging by pharmaceutical companies. 2) help for low income folks to pay the premiums and deductibles of a work insurance for themselves and their dependants. 3) a Governement based HSA for unemployed folks, disabled folks, etc." "I think that continuum runs from very expense, complete coverage up to the most experimental new therapies all the way down to catastrophic coverage at a much lower up front cost. I think the public discussion must be about where to put the universal coverage line. Do we think all Americans should have access to preventive care? to symptomatic care? to diagnostic imaging? Where do most Americans hesitate? Elective procedures? Experimental treatments? A $ cap on ER use? It seems that there is a growing sentiment that health care is a right not a privilege in the richest nation in the world. I think the work will be getting a sense of what defenition of health care most Americans can agree on in that context." Drugs should not cost more in the country they are made than in the countries they are exported to. MMA built in protections for pharmaceutical companies that it could not offer to America's seniors. That hints of something very wrong and unpatriotic. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "I think in developing true accountability and ownership in spending health care dollars wisely, HSAs may be only an incentive to avoid getting necessary care. If a system could be designed where by urgent care visits are earned by accessing AMA recommended preventive care. Patients would begin to understand and reap the benefits of the savings that prevention creates by catching things early if not preventing them. This seems to be the road to a healthier America." "I think that self-management and personal responsiblity are the biggest missing components of our current health care system. SharedCarePlan.org is an idea from our local RWJ grant that holds some of the wisdom needing to expand the patients role and accountability in the process. We spend a lot of money on high-utilization patients who have made consistently bad choices over their life time and are now experiencing the consequences. I'm not sure I want my tax dollars going towards mediating those consequences completely. Also, consumers general awareness of the cost of services is just beginning through cost sharing. I believe we have to back away from set rates and allowables and move towards the same competitive aspects that force providers and hospitals to concern themselves with quality and value as sellable components of a product." We have made some inroads into health education and preventive health mandates (vaccinations to start school) which once they become part of the public consciousness will develop as personal habits that lead to increase health throughout a life time. "On the ground, it appears that we are rapidly moving to a 2 tiered system. The 41% who still have employer based insurance and can foot the $1500 average cost sharing annually. Those of us in full time jobs that do not offer health insurance and cannot afford plans in the individual market are putting our kids on Medicaid. I don't think we are the demographic that Title 19 intended to cover. Where do the ""working poor"" fit in our two main options for coverage?" NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 10/19/05 11:56 AM 1817 "The cost of health care continues to rise as does the costs for necessities ( housing, electricity, gas, telephone). Moreover, many companies are shifting the costs for health care to the employees who cannot afford to pay for the premium. In addition, Health care organizations as well as the Federal government continue to place an unfair burden on the segment of our population that can least afford to pay for increases-- those people enrolled in Medicare. For some reason, our senior citizens &/or retirees are viewed as ""cash cows"". Yet, most cannot afford the costs of their medicines. What a travesty of justice that our retirees and seniors, both frail and hardy, who worked all their lives and contributed to the growth and development of this great country, are treated with a great lack of respect and made to feel like "" burdens"". This is a disgrace!!! " "Yes. I think the system needs to be changed. Changes that need to be made include: (1)no payments for health care should have to be paid by the elderly who are ususally living on a fixed income with little or no growth potential; (2)a universal system is needed to bring equity to health care. Presently, if you have Medical Assistant, you have ready access to a myriad of health care services without worry of a future financial burden; whereas, others who are private payers do not unless they have a way to shoulder the financial burden for non-covered services. This is not fair. Taxpayers get ""burned"" via payments of taxes to be used for those who are eligible for Medial Assistance and for limited access to an array of memdical benefits unless they can afford the additional financial burden. " "I don't believe that there has to be trade-offs. Maybe, if we looked at the present way we allocate the monies and put the health needs of the American people first and the revenues of the health insurers and pharmaceuticals last, a clearer picture and solution would emerge." A universal health system for all with funding paid for by taxpayers via the federal government. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Important benefits and services to me include: access to physicians and specialists as well as the appropriate tests and equipment to make an accurate diagnosis and for treatment regardless of ability to pay; affordable care and services including in-hospital rehabilitation services as well as access to and affordable in-home nursing care if needed; access to specialty care without requiring prior authorization by someone in the HMO's office who may or may not be a physician and is ""second guessing"" a primary care physician in order to save the HMO money." I want my health care delivered in a manner that enusers access to and affordabilty of services delivered by credentialled physicians who are capable of treating patients without regard to their ethnicity and believe that every patient is entitled to the highest quality of care. "What works ammazingly well are the ""330"" Community Health Centers. They are receptive to and provide high quality services that address the health needs of the residents of the communities they serve." Health care in America will remain unequal due to social and economic factors and will be reflected in health disparities until we recognize the need to address these factors which impact on health care and the health status of all Americans. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 10/19/05 2:17 PM 1847 "That it is not universal. I just read of the waiver granted to Florida to place caps on medical care for the poor. I am starting to live in a state of permanent rage at this administration, and I want my Senators to stand up on the floor of the Senate and ask the members of this cracker administration to stop posturing and to start providing decent, consistent health care to the poor and the suffering. Is anyone noticing? Your honeymoon is over, Senator, so get up on the Senate floor and speak about our obligations to the unfortunate. And insist that those self-righteous Republicans put their money where their mouth is when it comes to family values, which means caring for the poor. Who can do this better than an Oregonian? " "Medicaid is a house of cards, which benefits accountants, hustlers, and bookies. It takes character to stand up to the phony pieties that are seeping into everything. Let's hear it, Senator, for the way these self-righteous Rs mouth pieties while cutting services for the poor. " "If congresspeople with character would start to take an impassioned stand, the citizenry would respond with a willingness to see that their neighbor receives the same medical treatment as they themselves. " "Make it universal, and start calling the bluff of the phonies in Congress." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "I have great benefits because I have Medicare and Medigap. I think everyone in the USA should have what I have. Don't you think so too? If not, why not?" My health care is just fine. Does anyone care about the health care of those who aren't so lucky? The system for members of the U.S. government works best of all. Why can't the rest of the population have the same? Hmm. Is there anything I haven't said? I didn't use this form to be anonymous. I am XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/20/05 8:30 AM 1848 "It seems that there are two groups of persons who can get adequate health care--the very rich, who can afford to go to any doctor or hospital and get any type of procedure, and the very poor, who can get coverage under Medicare or Medicaid. The group in the middle who have to rely on employer health care coverage, cannot get the same health care as the very rich, but somewhat better than the very poor. As Americans get older, they will develop more serious health conditions, many of which could bankrupt them or their families if they needed to go to a hospital or wind up in a nursing home for any extensive time" "I don't believe in the Medical Savings Plan idea. Too many Americans are working from paycheck to paycheck and only those who are very wealthy can afford to put aside the amount of money to pay for their medical situations in the event of a medical emergency. I believe that many doctors and hospitals charge far above what is necessary for hospital stays, medical procedures and doctor visits. When a patient has to pay $70-$100 or more just for a 10 minute visit to a doctor for a physical exam, this does not make sence. " "I think those persons or companies who make the most money should help in fnancing health care for the rest of Americans who, many because of no fault of their own, cannot afford it. I think that we should stop covering illegal aliens who come across our boarders and get health care. " "Give equal access to hospitals, doctors and medical procedures for Americans who really need them. Stop practicing ""defensive medicine"" where doctors and hospitals schedule unnecessary tests or procedures that add to the health care costs. Allow individuals to go to the doctor or hospital of their choice and require that all HMO or PPO plans give patients this flexibility rather than the health care provider making the choice." male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "When going for yearly physical exams, coverage for complete physicals, so that problems can be detected earlier, rather than having to treat problems later, or at the point when nothing can be done for the patient." "Most persons get health care through either HMO or PPO health plans, either because they are currently employed or retired workers. This situation is very perilous because at any time employers can eliminate coverage for either their current workers or retired workers. This sutiation should not be allowed--employers should not be allowed to file for bankrupcy and leave their workers or retirees ""out in the cold"" without the health coverage they have depended on without any penalty to the employer." "For those who can afford it, the health care system provides the ""greatest health care MONEY CAN BUY"". Any oil sheik can come to a hospital and stay on an entire floor of a hospital and get any coverage or test they need--why? Becuase of the $$$ and that isn't right. I commend the doctors and hospitals who treat persons without health care coverage, many of whom are elderly, disabled, or children, without regard to when or if they get any payment for their services." "The President and Congress need to remember that many Americans are just an accident away from a catastropic health care expense which would completely devastate the lives of themselves or their families. Scientific advances are great, but not at the expense of everything that people have worked for which could be lost in an instant." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 10/20/05 11:37 AM 1849 The lack of a nation-wide healthcare system that ensures the coverage of health costs for all Americans. There should be more subsidization of healthcare costs by the government. A more evenly distributed taxation system amongst rich and poor alike. "A more socialist way of handling the healthcare needs of Americans by means of a nationwide healthcare system. Such as the ones employed in other countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Healthcare being medical, naturpathic, chiropractic, massage. Dental care and Eye care." "People should have the freedom to choose whom their healthcare provider is, and what kinds of healthcare services they would like to receive." "The many different types of practicioners available that are sometimes covered by insurance: naturpathic, acupuncturists, and other alternative medicines." Pharmaceutical companies have too much control over the cost of prescription medications. NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/20/05 1:37 PM 1850 "Health care is big business in America. The ""AMA and Insurance and Drug industry are in charge. A person can not get a simple blood test with out a doctor's approval, as an example." "The cost of health care should be shared by all the people. A healthy country is a happy country. Our current way of paying for health care is out dated. Cut out the insurance, drug company, and for profit AMA. National health care for all the people covered by taxes." Raise taxes to cover health care. Take the profit away from big drug companies and other drug dealers. Take the control of health care away from the AMA and allow the citizens to make the decisions. Take the profit out of health care. Provide national health care (not coverage) for the people. male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL It is the cost of health care not the services that is the problem. No one should be faced with bankruptcy because of illness. Three levels of health care. 1) Health clinics dispursed through out the country and communities with home visit Doctors and Nurses. 2)Hospital care available in every community and connected to the clinics. All not for profit and the service of the same quality. 3)Private for profit care for those who can afford it and for elective treatment. All services in 1 and 2 should be free to everyone regardless. Most Doctors and Nurses are caring and qualified people. The local clinics provide great service. "Instead of governing health just provide it. If the people have a problem with drugs help them with education and safty. Provide free drugs to any one who needs them and if they are addictive, couple the treatment with education and counseling. Take away the profit from the drug dealers. The money saved in police work alone will pay for the cost." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/20/05 1:54 PM 1851 It is becoming more expensive and I am afraind that I will be unable to afford it. it is scary becuase each time you switch jobs you are hoping that they will offer affordable health insurance. "this is confusing and makes for redundancy. with a national system doctors do not have to hire speciall billing people becuas ehtere is only one form! We could pay premiums to just one source via taxes or a premium, whatever.... My husband works for a small business, he has heart problems so they will not insure him. As a result every job I take has to have health insurance. This is very stressful. This woudl not happen with National Health care." People shoudl be willing to use generics as long as there is an appeals process. We have to pay a bit more in taxes so that we coudl have a national system. People have to realize that doctors are human and not expect perfect outcomes eac time. This will decrease litigation and decrease defensive medicine. I would be willing to go through my pimary care doctor before seeing my specialist. NATIONAL HEALTH CARE female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "I want national health care, such that all people are covered for all preventive care, immunizations, hospitalizations and the like. Not having a national system is crazy. It hurts us economically. " "I want to choose my docs, but with a national system you coudl because everyone woudl be under the system. I want high quality care. I want to be able to see the doctor for more than 5-10 minutes at a time becuase they are so rushed. " They have a lot of new discoveries. We have an HMO that actually works very well for now. It needs improving! We need to focus A LOT MORE on PREVENTIVE care. this will SAVE money and make us more efficient. NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL DC 10/20/05 2:15 PM 1852 "Universal Health Care (Masterpiece Medicare) My husband and I signed up in April 2005 and XXXXXXXXXXXXX Medicare salesman, told us that XXXXXXX Medicare is the only program that will reimburse us our 78.20 payment back to us from the Medicare B portion. It is now almost November 1 and we still have not received any monies. I think they are a fraud. They are in our 2006 Medicare book and they claim besides the reimbursement that there is no prescription drug deductible and last month I payed for my prescriptions in full they stated I reached my quota. THIS WHOLE THING IS A FRAUD AND I WONDER HOW MANY OTHER SENIOR CITIZENS HAVE BEEN DUPED BY THIS COMPANY? Can you please me?" NULL NULL NULL female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL As far as Masterpiece Medicare none. NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 10/20/05 2:57 PM 1853 "DISCRIMINATION. Taxpayers pay for Federal, State, and Local employees' health care, but corporations only sporadically provide health coverage, or of late--not at all. Taxpayers should not have to pay for government workers when they do not receive any coverage, or at best receive only partial coverage. The haphazard way of insuring citizens is criminal and should be made offically illegal." " Yes, most definitely. ELIMINATE HEALTH CARE MIDDLEMEN (health insurance companies, HMO's Medicare, Medicaid) and provide NATIONAL DIRECT HEALTH CARE for all through taxation, which should cost substantially less by removing layers of administrative waste and duplication. We need to break up the mindset of health care coverage and just provide direct health care. Remember, the steam engine became outdated and was replaced by more efficient engines; likewise, the Health Insurance Companies and other middlemen have become burdensome and inefficient and MUST BE replaced by reduced cost DIRECT CARE." " TRADE-OFF: Elimate Health Insurance Companies and other middlemen and raise taxes to cover a National Direct Health Care System. The term ""benefits"" is used by the insurance companies, etc. We do not want benefits, a concept that is vague and unclear in meaning; WE WANT NATIONAL DIRECT HEALTH CARE." " ELIMINATE HEALTH CARE MIDDLEMEN: health insurance companies, HMO's, Medicare, Medicaid, etc. and replace them with a NATIONAL DIRECT HEALTH CARE SYSTEM FOR ALL." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL " We want FULL HEALTH CARE for all: EDUCATION to promote healthier life styles and to reduce health care costs. PREVENTATIVE CARE for annual office visits, vaccines, etc. DIAGNOSTIC CARE for blood tests, X-rays, CAT Scans, Dexa Scans, etc. CHRONIC ILLNESS CARE for treatment of diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, cancer, etc. ACUTE/EMERGENCY CARE for surgeries, accidents, etc. BUT, Elective Care Procedures should be PAID BY THE INDIVIDUALS PERSOANLLY. " " DECENTRALIZED neighborhood clinics for preventative care and minor emergency care services, not requiring expensive hospital and diagnostic equipment, such as broken bones, etc. CENTRALIZED hospitals for acute and major emergency care services requiring expensive diagnostic equipment, surgery, and overnight care. We want competent health care professionals who treat us with respect." " Providing flu and pneumonia shots at our local grocery stores for an affordable price (because there is no overhead, middlemen cost layers, only direct medical care)." " Bring back REGULATION. President Reagan deregulated industries back in the early 1980s and things have not worked well since. Our Drug Manufacturers SELL THE SAME DRUGS to Canada, Europe, Mexico, and the USA at remarkably different prices. This is criminal (or would be if Corporations were NOT running our Congress), discriminatory, and bad policy reflecting poor judgment due to the lack of accountabilty by our elected officials. The criminaliztion of politics may well be next if our government continues favoring corporate welfare over public welfare. WE THE PEOPLE want the intent of our Constitution upheld. Thank you. " NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/20/05 4:36 PM 1858 increasing cost of heralth care the fact Medicaid and medicare patients recieve far superior in many instances attention for health careneeds increasing cesarean section rate lack of extended care for mothers and new families lack of ability for mid-level practionsers to gain admitting privledges and open independent practices with contracted collaboration with MD's "health care should have co- pays that are set and not based on sliding scale If patients do not adhere to the time schedule of their appointment, they can be rescheduled for later in the day or at another time " none it is doable now get health care out of lawyer and political hands expand the number of mid-level practioners female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "All americans MUST pay for some aspect of health care .....get rid of Free care," I want it delived in a private manner...... patient's should not have to go to a run down clinic and wait and wait and wait to be seen All patients can be cared for appropriately midwifery care for women no matter what the socio-economic status ..... Advanced practice partnerships NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 10/21/05 11:12 AM 1859 That it is not accessible to everyone at a reasonable price. "I think there should be a national health insurance that is paid for by the government through tax revenue, etc. I'm not opposed to requiring individuals to meet reasonable deductibles & co-payments. " "Low priority benefits, reasonable deductibles & co-payments." We should study other nations who have effective national health care systems (such as I believe Finland? has). female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Coverage for major medical expenses such as necessary surgery & procedures as well as admissions to hospitals. Coverage for necessary therapy such as physical therapy. Coverage for necessary medicine & equipment. "Routine preventitive/ maintenance health care should be delivered by clinics. Emergencies should be handled by emergency rooms & hospitals. Patients should have access to competent providers who meet the recognized standards of care. Accessibility to care should be according to need, ie emergencies should have quick access. " Helath care providers do a relatively good job of prioritizing & intervening for urgent patients' needs. We need a national health care system accessible to everyone that is effective. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 10/21/05 12:52 PM 1861 "That health care will be afforadable to the majority of people. That I will be able to afford health care for myself. That the system is self desructing powered by greed and politics. One of the reasons that health care costs are rising is that the pool of payers is shrinking, causing rates to rise for even those who are insured. " "I believe that there should be a basic health care system available to everyone at no cost. Care beyond the basic level (this I know is a term ""basic level"" that requires some debate) can be obtained by paying premiums into the system. Premiums can be offset by trading vouchers. Vouchers could be obtained by being a blood provider, enrollment in drug trials or medical investigative research, or by becoming a local volunteer. But the idea is that if everyone is guarenteed health care and everyone is in a ""premium pool"" it would reduce health care costs to everyone." "Very little, from those that have health care. But those who are or have been without health care would be happy to have almost anything. Education and preventitive programs will go a long way to reducing need as well as costs." Get the politicians to move off of dead asses male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Basic heath clinical care, emergency room access, and major medical at reasonable rates. " Delivery is not as big a problem as is access. Canada's system "Very much but I feel powerless in the face of the corporate interests who run the system and even write the legislation for the lazy politicians, who by the way have insured that they get the best ""defined benefits"" for themselves." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 10/21/05 2:17 PM 1863 People going to emergency rooms only because they don't have access to a doctor (medical home) to get early treatment. I don't think rich people should be using Medicare (it should have a means test). "I think an informed public would be OK with risking privacy (which is no more a risk than we already take with electronic personal information every time we use a credit card, right?) in order to have electronic medical records to expedite and lower the cost of care. Also, RX formularies are OK with me, since they lower costs and maybe force drug companies to keep prices low as possible or be rejected from the formulary. " "Electronic medical records, so doctors don't repeat tests, etc., and make treatment cost more than it needs to." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "It would make sense to have some preventive care covered by insurance programs, like exercise and diet programs which can be expensive but would make people healthier." "It's important that no one has to travel too far (and suffer) to get care, like to have a baby or get cancer treatment. Also, home health care should be an option; wouldn't it cost less than institutional care?" "Faith-based safety net clinics are amazing. Use of IT (medical records, prescribing) will be great." "We need to stop using so many health care resources on people who are ready to die, i.e., there needs to be a campaign for people to prepare health care directives that take the doctors off the hook for letting someone go." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL KS 10/21/05 3:11 PM 1866 The cost rises faster than inflation inother areas of the economy. It shouldn't. Univrsal health care paid for by the government. Elective procedures and treatment should be eliminated. Only life threatening illnesses should be taken care of by a universal health care program. If people want more they should have a private policy or pay for it themselves. "Eat no process foods, eat fruits and vegetables, eat less meat and do aerobic exercise regularly." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Wellness programs: educate people about good nutrition and the importance of exercise, alternative medicine. An affordable, easy-to-understand presciption program; one that gives the user the ability to bargain for the best price." Individuals should be allowed to choose their health care provider(s). NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 10/21/05 4:11 PM 1868 cost to the self employed. Expence of so many different companies doing things diferently making it more expensive for the provider. It makes no sence to have all these diferent programs. It should be one program that we all pay into. There can be differing levels of care depending how much you pay or how much your employer pays but a base level of care for all. Wat people dont realize is that it does not have to cost more money and the do not ave to loose the level of care. The inefficency makes for some of the highest administrative costs in te developed world National Health Care male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Reasonable levels of care from prevention to home health for the elderly. I dont se us doing socalised med as done in England. We can have private Dr. but national insurance that is portable as to job and location. "We provide good care at the local level.What does not work is how we pay for it . It would be like having fire protection provided by private ,public or if some one dident pay for you or you pay for your self you would have no fire protection" I am both a provider and a self employed consumer I see both side of the issue and I done know if I should laugh or cry. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL ME 10/21/05 4:53 PM 1869 nutrition - family prenatal care lower cesarean rates more access to first line midwifery care "the WIC program nutrition standards are not encouraging health. The foods are low standard, and mothers are rewarded for consumption of infant formula rather than breastfeeding." "none. although personal responsibility and cost must come into play ( obesity, smoking, alcoholism, drug use)" taxes on junk foods more access to health foods restrictions on infant formula no promotion of infant formula ( ie the WHO Code) maternity leave paid for in part by govt so mothers can tend to the health and well being of the child (European standard) female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL community based midwifery care small birth centers for normal birth in every community breastfeeding counseling as part of the healthcare system for everyone. access to midwifery care. access to nutritional help even if outside of the WIC range. More community level classes and programs open to all for ongoing dialog about improving our health. "community programs, free health classes obesity, nutrition, pregnancy, child More prevention measures! Prevention and education is less than repair!" "school lunches are a terrible influence on children's perception of what is acceptable. The UK has adopted a program that is exceptional to improve school lunches by reducing fats, fried foods, overcooked veggies and offering fresh foods, meat alternatives and ethnic variations." NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 10/21/05 5:45 PM 1870 "When you go to the doctor or hospital, the first question you are asked should be ""Where does it hurt?"" NOT ""Will that be Visa. MasterCard or American Express?""" End all employer based pland and no co-payments. There are no trade offs that need to be made. This is health we are talking about NOT buying a new car. There should a national dedicated funding source such as a value-added tax so that everyone contributes through their taxes but not humiliated at the point of care such as is the case now. Give us the exact same plan that members of Congress and the President receive for life. male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL End of all co-payments and deductibles. End of complex empoyer based plans that no one can understand except an insurance account exec. "Walk into any doctor's office or hospital and receive treatment and not be asked first how you are going to pay," Most of the persons I have encountered are very dedicated in spite of the current system. We have many dedicated health care personnel. Given the issues and pressures they feel under the present system it's amazing to me they can come to work everyday. They are truely heroic. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 10/21/05 7:32 PM 1871 "The lack of insurance many people, like myself. I am a healthcare practitioner and I'm not covered! I can't afford the monthly payments for health insurance." "Absolutely. I would love to see something like national healthcare, where everyone is covered. I wouldn't mind paying for healthcare in my income tax, as long as it is affordable." I think that most Americans would be willing to have to wait for non-essential healthcare. "Absolute, 100% availability of health care to all Americans. This just isn't so at this time." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Annual physicals. Choice of practitioner. Choice of birth center or homebirth with a midwife. Fair prescription costs. "I would like to have a general physician or nurse practitioner for my annual care, etc. I would then like to be able to be referred out for add'l care if needed. If I had another baby, I would want to be able to deliver at home with the services of a midwife. I would want annual mammograms available for all women over the age of 40." "The PPO system seems to work OK, for the most part. The HMO system is a mess. Practitioners are underpaid and have a tendency to not want to care for these patients." "As a consumer and as a healthcare practitioner I have seen over the years that lower income (primarily Medicaid recipients) are treated with less respect and less care than others. A national health care program would eliminate the stigma of Medicaid, and all people would, as it should, be treated equally in their care." NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 10/21/05 8:11 PM 1873 The astronomical COSTS and the fact that that money isn't even paying for healthcare so much as it's paying big profits to the insurance companies and drug companies. "YES. I think we should have universal coverage that is paid for by tax dollars. I pay way too much individually, and my employer does too. I want healthcare but I think everyone should have it too, regardless of income. I'm not sure what to tax in order to get the money to pay for it, whether it be an 'income' tax or something, but REPEALING THE TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY is one way to pay for it. And if the system is overhauled completely, why not get rid of Medicare or just implement the universal coverage into Medicare and expand it for all instead of just the elderly. " "I think people would be willing to pay for it, just nothing too astronomical. I don't think cutting any benefits would work or help. I have good insurance but I still have to pay too much out of pocket, however, I like the benefits I do get so I don't know that I'd be willing to change those. " "Make it affordable or free for all, regardless of income (or lack thereof - although I don't approve of 'freebies' - we need to address the welfare system too and make it more in line with training people for jobs and lot letting them milk the welfare system forever). " female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Alternative, natural medicine (including Marijuana for pain) and PREVENTION. Stop doctors from just putting people on drugs, and make them change their lifestyle (i.e., diet, exercise). Make drugs and surgery the last resort. A lot of medical problems are caused by obesity and smoking. Make people somewhat personally responsible for their own health (again, i.e. diet, exercise, no smoking). " I don't care as long as I get to choose what doctors I go to. Just let me make an appointment and have the doctor submit to the system and have it paid for. No pre-calls or pre-qualifying except for scheduling surgery. We have great doctors but the actual health care system is horrible. WAY too expensive. "I really, truly believe that alternative, natural medicine is very important. I have been seeing a chiropractor and massage therapist for a few months, and a lot of my physical issues have disappeared, not just back pain. I am also a firm believer in marijuana for medical purposes, including pain relief and nausea. I don't do well on narcotic painkillers and marijuana is so much better and more natural. " NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 10/21/05 9:29 PM 1876 "The fact that so many Americans don't have health insurance and that most people can lose their insurance so easily, for so many reasons." "I think a single user system could be more cost effective, stable and easier for all Americans who opt to use it." "The American public doesn't seem to be as interested in the 40+ million people who don't have insurance so I'm not sure, at this point, that people are willing to make trade-offs. I would be willing to have slightly longer waiting times (in certain circumstances) to see specialists. I also do not understand why hospitals are spending so much money on interior decorations, cable tv,etc. If you are ill enough to be in the hospital, you shouldn't be concerned with how much money they spent decorating the hospital. Private rooms are not necessary either." "A system, properly funded, such as Canada and the U.K." female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Prescriptions Drug benefits, the right to pick my own doctor, access to specialists when needed, affordability." I don't want an HMO and I don't think insurance companies should be telling my doctor how he should treating me. Not much! When I moved back to this country after 9 years in the U.K. I went for 13 years without health insurance. I've had multiple medical problems for 47 years and during those 13 years I got the best care I could afford but that also meant I sometimes scrimped on medication and went without treatment and tests for many things. My severe back problems for example could have been diagnosed several years ago and treatment could have been started then. Instead the problem contined until the point of causing me horrendous pain and limiting what I can do in life. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/22/05 8:29 AM 1877 "1. High health care costs that profit insurance companies and the bookkeeping system but fail to actually purchase high quality care. 2. The low quality of care for the majority of Americans -- We have the worst health care statistics for any developed nation. We should be ashamed. 3. Access for all -- Health care for all benefits if the problems are detected early and treated quickly, Americans can return to school or work and be productive. Without good health, how can we expect a productive workforce. " "1. Universal ""income-based"" mandatory health insurance -- Everyone that earns income from any source (wages, capital gains, real estate income, etc.) pays in according to a health insurance scale that is set up along the lines of Social Security but looks at the 1040 pre-deduction line to determine assessment. Those underpaying during the year because they are not wage laborers would pay at the end of the year. (Japan's system a model) 2. Universal coverage would eliminate the need for employer based systems 3. Elimination of wasteful insurance company bureaucracy. Private industry is not always more efficient. One size fits all would cut costs for administering and billing and eliminate need for much of what the insurance industry does in its quest for profits over health of American society. 4. Coverage of 80% of health care costs for standard, routine treatment. 100% for kids. " "I don't think the American public really understands the hidden costs of NOT having universal health care. When Wal-Mart workers without insurance are ill, they either transmit diseases to the rest of the population or flood emergency rooms. Rate payers are then picking up these uncovered workers in higher insurance rates. I pay over $10,000 a year to maintain a private plan. I use about $500 in services but worry about my health future and have tried to fund it. Universal access would still hit me in the pocketbook, but by spreadng the costs to require everyone to have insurance it would actually become cheaper for those who are stuck paying high rates now. I think Americans aren't going to be willing to make the trade-offs until they know the hidden cost of the bureaucratically-driven insurance company system we have. When sick in Japan, where I worked for several years, I took my health care card to the hospital and was treated within a short time. My out-of-pocket costs were manageable (20%). When sick in the U.S., I avoid any thought of going to the doctor as the headache following the visit as I attempt to resolve it with any insurance company consumes too much of my time." "Get rid of the insurance company bureaucracy and institute a ""single"" way for doctors and hospitals to bill for service. Institute a universal access system with mandatory enrollment for all. " female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 1. Full access to a primary care physician for every American. 2. Early intervention programs to treat diseases before they become life threatening. 3. World pricing for pharmaceuticals -- There is no excuse for American made drugs to be cheaper in other countries than they are here. 4. Under-18 coverage of any type fully covered -- Children don't select their parents. Their health should be as important to us as their education -- No child left behind extended to cover the healthy problems that can prevent learning. 5. Full coverage for 70+ for all conditions. "1. Access. 2. Preventative care and health monitoring ""check-ups"" as the key. When problems are detected 3. Billing structure that is understandable (If you have ever received a statement from an insurance company you know what I mean) " "The doctors and nurses -- the health care service providers at ""public"" (not private) hospitals are universally interested in health over costs. Those at private hospitals are hampered by their system, but even here they are working wonders under tough situations." It must be fixed. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/22/05 10:10 AM 1878 Why is our neonatal mortality and morbidity so high and 26 other countries have better outcomes?!Why do you not employ more nurse-midwives to provide health care when they can save thousands of health care dollars while providing quality care to women (sometimes better care)? The other countries with better neonatal and maternal outcomes have midwifery services in place. Quality research after quality research has proven that midwifery model of care working with medicine has the best outcomes. Why is this ignored? A national health care system. Americans should taxed to provide national health care. National Health Care female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL I want national medicine. Therefore no person can be excluded from having health care. We will be forced to use models of care such as nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives to provide first line care and referral from there. We could save thousands of dollars while achieving better outcomes. Breastfeeding will be the norm and we will have healthier infants and children. Products we buy will be cheaper since companies will not have to jack the prices up to pay for health insurance premiums and companies will come back to the US and provide more American jobs. "People should first see a nurse practitioner or nurse midwife first, then be referred to a medical doctor if needed." It works well for physicians since they make a lot of money providing care that many nurse practiioners and nurse midwives could provide for a fraction of the cost. "This health care system provides quality care to the rich. While many more Americans are underinsured or uninsured and poor. Clinics that serve this population lack resources, equipment, and reimbursement and therefore can not provide the services they would like." NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL WI 10/22/05 10:45 AM 1879 "I consider basic health care and access to health proffesionals to be a right every citizen should enjoy. It is also a matter of national defense. A world wide pandemic (naturally like bird flue or bioterrorism) is very probable, some say certain. We need to prepare for this disaster, by setting up a health care system that will screen out those infected.People that are infected should not be forced by economics and lack of health care, to go to work when they are sick, thus infecting many others. They should not be forced to go to emergency rooms, infecting everyone there after it is too late to do anything for them. To keep a pandemic from spreading, we need to have a system where paramedics or nurses come to people's homes to screen them and give preventative care. " "The government should pay for a single national Health Care System paid for by new taxes on those that can best afford them (a progressive corporate, individual, and/or transaction tax). Expansion of the Medicare and Medicaid systems to include everyone, will be much cheaper than the current system because of lower overhead and administration costs." "To insure access to high quality health care for everyone, I think Americans are willing to give up on illegal unnecessary wars. A trade off for a decent living would be cutting back on unnecessary military spending. We spend more on the military than the rest of the world combined. That is why they all have good universal health care and we do not. " "A national, universal health care system for all." male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "We need a single payer national Health Care system like every other civilized country in the world. Having a system of Insurance companies who's main job is avoiding responsibility and increase costs is not rational. We need to nationalize the drug industry or at the very least have a national independant organization responsible for testing existing drugs and for research into new drugs. Being dependant on a for profit drug industry that does it's own testing will not work. They will falsify reports to make sure their product sells, and they will not do research on cures for diseases that are not widespread and will be unprofitable." "I think we should have a basic care system that will care for everyone, especially all children. Than if people want more extensive coverage they can have add-on insurance programs or pay for private care." American Health Care works well if you are rich. We have the best care money can buy. But for the majority of the people in the country the system does not work. "Health care proffessionals should be in their occupation because they care for their fellow beings, not because they want to get rich. But they should also be able to make a decent living. Pay nurses more, Have a national malpractice insurance so doctors don't have to pay as much, increase the number of doctors and nurses and have decent hours for them." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/22/05 1:04 PM 1896 "The lack of universal access. The high cost of insurance for individuals. The slow erosion of work-based plans forcing many out of the insurance system and into emergency rooms. The transfer of emergency room costs to insured citizens in the form of higher costs, leading many who have insurance to feel their costs are skyrocketing." "Yes. This system is broken. Employers have shirked their responsibility, leaving many working Americans no longer covered, and individuals unable to afford the cost of individual coverage. We must accept our moral responsibility to care for all Americans, regardless of their educational background, employer, or age. Children should have universal access. Adults should have reasonable insurance that covers ALL Americans." "I think that Americans are willing to pay for full, equal access to health care for all children (under 18). They are also willing to pay reasonable insurance rates. They are not willing to pay when they see a system that is broken and not providing quality care. I believe Americans, given the growing number of working un-insured, are willing to entertain a Health-Care Security System, where everyone pays based on annual income (wages and capital gains income) and everyone has access. Just as we all contribute to Social Security, it is time we all contribute to Health-Care Security to ensure everyone, regardless of personal circumstances, pays in and receives care. Contrast this to the uninsured use of emergency rooms for care when illnesses become life-threatening. This raises insurance for those who are covered and costs more as they are sicker when they seek treatment." Access for all. Institute a Health-Care Security System that requires everyone to contribute and allows everyone to receive care with reasonable deductibles. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Universal access and coverage for children. Affordable health care for all Americans, regardless of employer. Coverage for catastrophic illnesses and genetic diseases. Reasonable deductibles and co-payments. Pharmaceuticals at world prices, not overpriced." "We all want the best available. Unfortunately, this is what we are not getting as insurance companies and billing eat up more of the cost of health care than the health care we receive. This is why we have the most expensive and worst performing health care system in the developed world. Care for all is a moral obligation, regardless of the individual's income." Not much. The doctors are nurses struggle against an bloated insurance bureaucracy and the legal system. Health care is too important to be turned over to lawyers and bureaucrats. "We used to have the best system in the world, with the lowest infant mortality rates and some of the longest life expectancies. What happened? We are now at the bottom of the heap. I believe the high cost of insurance, the decision of employers to off-load insurance costs by cancelling coverage for low-wage workers, and the failure to enact reasonable reform has hurt our national productivity. We cannot expect a sick workforce to be a productive workforce. Fix it." NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CO 10/23/05 12:42 AM 1967 "We spend twice as much as any other country, but 46 million people don't have insurance, we have bad outcomes like high infant mortality and 18,000 deaths from lack of insurance. The system is chaotic and inefficient, not friendly to either users or providers. 30% of our spending goes to insurance and drug company profits plus the astronomical cost of administering such a chaotic panoply of insurance programs." "We need to get rid of the insurance companies who are profiting from our ill health. “Loss ratio,” “preexisting condition” and “HSA"" should never be heard of again. Since 75% of the health care money is spent on 10% of the patients, the only system that will be fair and efficient is one where there is ONE RISK POOL. That means that the government should be the insurer. One buyer will avoid price gouging. The delivery of health care can remain similar (but better) with total choice and one payer. We need a SINGLE PAYER SYSTEM like other developed countries have." "We need to sacrifice the profits of insurance companies and drug companies in order to put that money into medical care. We need to decide how much as a nation we spend and prioritze what we spend it on. Non-essential treatments such as in-vitro fertilization and Viagra should be available, but not covered." Affordability and accessability through a single payer system will allow people to seek appropriate preventive care and early treatment so their outcomes will be better and costs will be controlled. female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "We need preventive care, primary care, specialty care, hospitalization, mental health, dental care, pharmacy access and long term care. Healthcare is not a commodity, it is the INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE WORKFORCE. Universal coverage will protect each of us from a health care crisis which could bankrupt us, just like we need FEMA to work for us when we have the bad luck of being hit by a hurricane." We want choice of providers NOT choice of insurance companies. Health care for the uniformed services seems to work well. We need to take a rational approach to the delivery of health care rather than one that is based on the profit motives of insurance and drug companies. NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MD 10/24/05 7:13 AM 1974 Not available to all. Too expensive. Not of good quality. "Serious health care (debilitating illnesses, operations, long term convalescent care, etc) to be covered by a national health plan, pediatric care for children to the age of 6 and pre-natal care. This to be paid for by taxation" "Provided that decent, affordable care is available, I do not think that people would mind waiting in queues for treatment. There are far too many practices. If we set up a system of clinics that could be used to perform initial assessment/treatment, I do not think that people may object to waiting for attention on a first com first served basis." "A two tier health plan. There should be a base that covers serious illnesses, and should the 'well-heeled' seek to have private care, there should be an insurance that they could subscribe to. " male NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL "Serious health care - debilitating illnesses - diabetes, hypertension, heart conditions, cancer, asthma, etc." "Initial screening at clinics, followed up by better care at regional hospitals, if need be." "Diagnoses, quality and availability of medicines, other forms of treatment (if only for the few who can afford it)." "For the amount of money that is being spent, it could be better! The HMOs are ripping the hell out of America. " NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL VA 10/24/05 1:57 PM 1981 defensive medecine lack of evidence based care ;ack of accessibility too many peoplke are left out - I do think universal healthcare is the answer - even if government bureaucracy is a detriment caps on malpractice awards group care for pregnancy and various chronic disease management more OTC meds evidence based health care not medical malpractice defense based female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL vaccines contraception screening treatment of chronic disease control of infectious disease pediatric and obstetric care It should be wholistic I would prefer nurse practitioners for my general care - specialists only as needed vaccinations nurse-practitioner care use of networks Nurse practitioners and midwives improve outcomes NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 10/24/05 7:27 PM 1983 cost and asccess not sure i'm willing to wait and even not have as much choice make it more affordable and accessible to all female NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL primary care access to midwifery (certified nurse midwives) care "personalized, not to feel like you are one of millions ina factory line. not feeling like your provider has to have a high volume to make a profit, and if so personalize care somehow" the midwifery model of care is an excellent way of delivering OB and an excellent philosophy. Nurse-practicioners also do wonders NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MO 10/25/05 8:00 AM 1986 "The rise in health care cost. How long can we last? How long till we burst? I believe that health care should remain part of the public sector and that a socialized system has been proven to be ineffective. With all the lawsuits and such, I worry about how the cost of health care can be maintained, and I'm afriad that people who don't know any better will advocate for goverernment control of healthcare. That would be scary!" "I'm not sure what exact changes need to be made, but I wonder where in the constitution it states that government is to be responsible for providing health care for it's citizens. I also question the whole Medi-Cal system, as well as the new drug prescription plan for seniors. Sounds well and good, but where do we come up with them money? How long can it last? Are we paying for something we cannot afford?I beleive governemnt is too involved and that our only hope is in the public sector. " "I don't think that the American people would stand for the kind of socialized system that so many talk about wanting. They would not want to wait in long lines, be told they could not make an appointment until 2 days before the desired appointment. Americans want freedom! Freedom of choice, freedom to choose a different provider if you do not like the yours, freedom to choose the level of service that you desire. While most in America value quality health care, few are willing to pay for it. Our insurance pays for the majority of the cost of our health care, if you have it, and our employers pay the majority of the cost for our insurance. Also, many who have insurance, don't pay a dime for it - full scope Medi-Cal. That does not teach someone to apreciate what they have nor does it teach them to use services appropriately, especially those who are not even paying into the system in the first place." "Heath care is not a right. The Constitution does not promise to provide healthcare for every individual. It is not the government's responsibility to personally save the health care system. Until this is understood, we will contiue to be in trouble, for that's why we are here in the first place. " female NULL Yes White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 10/25/05 4:55 PM 1988 The lack of affordable health care. This is a big item to most people. You just can't afford it. Why not have each person living in the US pay a small amount and be able to at least go to the doctors once a year for a wellness physical. Lean toward prevention. I think we should go to socialized medicine. "I think at this point most americans, especially the working poor which is a large growing group in the US would be in tune to socialized medicine." Everyone should be able to visit a doctor if they are sick. Also each and everyone should be able to have a physical at least annually. female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NH 10/25/05 9:52 PM 1989 "How much costs are going up and that so many people are uninsured, yet some are great users of the services without paying." "I think that if everyone is going to get healthcare regardless of if they pay or not, then the government should pay for everyone...and not just some." "American people do not thing that they should have to make trade-offs on anything. We never have had to, why would anyone think it is necessary. IT IS TIME FOR REALITY, HOWEVER." "It is time for the government to start paying for the services that it seems to guarantee to everyone living in the country-even if they do not pay for their care. Private doctors and hospitals should not be compelled to care for everyone, regardless of payment or non payment. Doctors are going to quit seeing patients and hospital are going to go broke." male NULL No Response Decline to answer Decline to answer Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/26/05 7:13 PM 1993 We must join the rest of the civilized world. Single-payer universal healthcare NOW. It's a political battle worth fighting. Single-payer universal healthcare. Ron's 2005 Fair Flat Tax is an important step in the right direction. ALL Americans will be more willing to pay taxes if they believe the tax system is fair. Single-payer system. Find a political strategy to make it happen. male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/27/05 9:13 PM 2039 "The racial and economic disparities in the system, i.e. not everyone covered, access limitations, and differences in quality and comprehensiveness of care. Also, the system is terribly difficult to navigate, which worsens health." I fully support H.R. 676 as I believe it is the most equitable and ethical proposal I've seen. I don't think we should compromise on benefits at all. I think we need to decrease cost to our citizenry by negotiating for lower prices with the pharmaceutical companies and use a single payer system that eliminates the extra cost of the insurance companies' profit margin. I think the proposed route of financing in H.R. 676 is very fair and I think a majority of Americans would benefit in terms of their health and budget. Enact H.R. 676. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 10/28/05 4:15 PM 2040 The difficulty we will have getting Congress to act in the best interest of the most number of people in the country. We need to figure out how the government could play its proper role of referee through administrative mechanisms and by managing competition so that Americans get the best care at the least cost. "I think systems that allowed greater experimentation in the states would fly; also, mechanisms that broaden health insurance and insure it as a right I think could also fly. The trick will be to squeeze the ""winner take all"" capitalism out of the system just enough so that we can afford to broaden the pool of covered individuals while not hiking costs as much as they WILL ANYWAY if left untouched." "We need to find a way by which the ""better angels"" of our common nature can be summoned from the collective will of America to declare that health care coverage is a right and that we need a clear committment to that principal with the understanding that working how the ""how"" is the secondary level issue." male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MD 10/29/05 1:10 PM 2041 "The biggest is that we lack universalhealth care coverage. Tht basic lack denies the poorest Americans the right to preventive medical care. As a result, when they seek emergency care , the cost is prohibitive, and falls upon the shoulders of the rest of us. " "With the current soaring cost of medical coverage, many companies are opting out of providing this necessary ""benefit"" fo rtheir employees. Individuals will not be able to pay for their own. Government MUST take the necessary steps to create a fair, inclusive way to assure that ALL Americans have access to medical treatment in a timely way." "That is a tough question. Few readily give up benefits, but the time has come to do the unavoidable, and enact a universal payer system, perhaps like that in Australia, where all are entitled to a basic level of care. Those who are afluent may choose to buy additional care." "Ensure a system that covers all Americans, and those who come to America, either as immigrants, tourists, or workers." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL MD 10/29/05 5:25 PM 2042 The overeaching amount of healthcare paid for by government and the lack of any real free market in the healthcare industry. "Yes, I think we need to get away from first dollar coverage for medical expenses. There are no incentives to spend dollars wisely when someone else is paying the bill. If auto or homeowners insurance worked like health insurance no one would be able to afford it." "Probably none. Americans have come to expect that someone else should pay for their needs. Until the country moves back to expecting people to be responsible for their actions, nothing will change." "Replace the current first dollar healthcare insurance system, with high deductible (catastrophic) insurance policies along with health care savings accounts. Insurance should be to pay for major issues, not every trip someone makes to see the doctor." male NULL No Response Other Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 10/30/05 4:45 PM 2044 "affordable insurance and access to healthcare particularly cancer treatment. coverage of acupuncture, chiropractic, midwifery and other treatment modalities should be covered by CMS and reviewed as a feasible and cost-effective alternative to traditional medical treatment. CMS should also coer heart and body scans for early diagnosis and detection of life threatening illnesses. " medicaid should be available to all citizens limit coverage when further treatment is futile. it seems that medicare and medicaid costs rise substantially when patients linger in long term care and long term ventilator care centers - whene there is no hope for meaningful recovery. long term use of artificial nutrition and hydration should also be examined. national healthcare female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 10/31/05 9:06 AM 2047 "Lack of health care for the young poor, including especially preventive care for teeth, vision, and hearing." "I favor an approach in which the government transfers money directly to citizens' HSAs from general tax revenues from birth to age 21, and thereafter requires payments from wages to HSAs. This is a bipartisan approach which both Republicans and Democrats should like. See details at www.his.com/robertb/hlthplan.htm" I think that US citizens would feel that they were winning all around with the plan that I outline above. I think that they would not feel that any tradeoffs were being made. I think the major opponents to the plan above would be heads of major PPOs and HMOs. Use the approach above to bring prices down through market forces. I can be contacted at xxxxxxxxx male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL VA 10/31/05 1:32 PM 2048 Private health plans punish the sick: 1. They charge them copays--often steep--each time they need care; 2. They limit benefits; 3. They restrict choice of providers; And they generally refuse to offer coverage to the sick or charge unaffordable premiums. The government should automatically give health care coverage to all Americans who want it so that it does not have to be tied to employement. Federal government should tax individuals on a progressive basis with wealthy paying more for care than less well off Americans. Poll after poll shows that Americans are willing to pay more in taxes for guaranteed health care coverage. "Extend Medicare to all Americans who want it so that no one goes without health care. Medicare provides automatic cost-effective coverage, gives people a wide choice of providers and does not punish the sick. Moreover, many studies show that Americans (Republicans and Democrats alike) love it." female NULL NULL White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 10/31/05 2:45 PM 2049 There should be more lay midwives and they should be supported by the government and their training should be governed by an organization of other lay midwives. They should not be tied to a medical doctor but if this arrangement was supported in a way that did not restrict the midwife the patient would be helped in an even better way. NULL "I do not think they should have to sacrifice quality of care or be restricted in their choices of treatment. Along with this, health care should be affordable. " "If the proper treatment was offered and non-necessary interventions were not, this would lower the cost of health care for everybody. For example, low risk pregnancies should be under the care of a homebirth midwife. Also, cesereans should not be considered except in statistical emergencies." female NULL No White Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL WV 10/31/05 3:18 PM 2052 Affordability & quality health care. Government MUST get more involved or regulate more effectively! For me it would be financing. Payment should be based on income and not age. female NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NC 10/31/05 7:27 PM 2053 "ALL of the points made in the background section are things that concern me. But it seems we also need to address the issue of insurance companies dropping coverage for people that become to costly. It seems to me from stories I read in the news that insurance companies have too much discretion as to whom is covered and when. We pay high premiums, only to have the rug pulled out from under us when the need comes. I also firmly believe that we need a clearer system, one that can be more easily understood by the public. Is there no other existing model in other industrialized nations? The idea of a ""report card"" for insurance companies seems a good one to me. Even on ebay buyers are warned against those who have failed to deliver the goods that were promised. We have vehicle history reports and consumer reports. Insurance companies need to be held accountable." "Yes, but it's dificult to say what since the entire health care industry is beyond complicated; it's an absurd and confusing system that has proven near impossible to explain to the general public. After doing a bit of research, there seems to be a consensus that money spent on health care MUST be spent more efficiently, and that if it were than that alone would help to alleviate the huge cost of health care to all involved. " "Are trade-offs necessary? If so, why? We are lucky enough to live in the wealthiest country in the world today. I can only go back to the idea that if the money spent on health care was spent more efficiently and people had access to care early on that would prevent more costly care down the road, many of these problems can start to clear themselves up. " "The question is ""to improve health care for all Americans"", and yet there are 46 million of us out here without any health care at all. Having said this, the biggest recommendation is a reiteration: spend our tax dollars more wisely!!" male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL IA 10/31/05 8:43 PM 2064 That small business owners/entreprenurs are limited in coverage. The only change I think should be made is for healthcare to be more affordable for small business owners/entreprenurs. "I do not know of any, but there may be some." "Again, make it more afforable for all classes." female NULL No Black or African American Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL AL 11/1/05 3:26 PM 2071 Cost and accesibility to health care are my main concerns about health care today. Make it affordable for individuals and let people pay for services rendered. Get rid of HMO's and stop making health care into big business. Allow providers to give the kind of care that they went into practice to provide. There shouldn't have to be a trade-off. I believe that providers choose their field because they want to help make a difference. I feel that corporations and big business have ruined that personal care that used to exist. Simplify the system. I hope that tort reform and caps on malpractice lawsuits will improve care and affordability. "Teach doctors the importance of nutrition. So many of our diseases today can be improved with diet and lifestyle changes. That would drastically cut the cost of pharmacuticals. Breastfeeding our children would make a major impact on the health of our society. I believe tha tthe healthy people 2010 campaign is a great start, but not being publicized nearly enough. " female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/1/05 8:09 PM 2072 Competition. Care is not stratified. Too many duplicative specialty services Yes universal health care could be private or government both would need to be overseen. Hard to say but I think people would prefer a less complex system for basic care. They would be assured of quality care if physicians all practiced according to accepoted standards in their field. Kaiser system seems to work well where standards can be enforced throughout the system Home follow for mothers postdischarge after delivery. One year support minimum for being at home with neborn/infant female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/1/05 11:16 PM 2073 Lack of access to health care... The fact that we have worse maternal and fetal mortality rates than some developing countries... The fact that health care providers are forced to practice defensively because of the current medicolegal system... The fact that people with illnesses have a harder time getting health insurance than healthy people. I think that more of the burden should be on the government. "I am willing to have less of my tax dollars going to war and military spending, and more to ensuring access to affordable, high quality health care." "Nurse-midwives are already catching about 10% of the babies born in the US. Statistics show that midwives have consistently good outcomes, using less expensive technology. Some states currently have a shortage of OB providers, because of the medicolegal system. Because of the relationship that midwives are able to foster with our clients, midwives tend to be sued less often. I would recommend more midwifery care in the US, for normal, low-risk prenatal care, birth, and postpartum care. In the same vein, research has shown that out-of-hospital birth is as safe, or safer, than birth in hospitals. Insurance companies could save thousands of dollars by covering birth center and home birth (attended by certified nurse-midwives)." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/2/05 4:25 AM 2074 The lack of health care of any kind for so many people. "I think all should be guaranteed minimum quality health care, which will save us all money, and people's health. No one should have to trade off paying for food or meds, paying for rent or prenatal care" I think anyone who earns even miminum wage would be willing to pay a small percentage of their income as a dedicated tax to cover health care and affordable meds for all. "Use more advanced practice nurses - midwives, nurse practitioners, nurse anesthesists - top quality care and more affordable. " female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CT 11/2/05 6:02 AM 2076 "The bureaucracy of insurance and health care systems, and the heavy-handedness of the pharmaceutical companies. When I go to the Doctor, I do not want to feel like I am seeing a legalized drug pusher." The system is fine. "Trade-offs might include lawsuit restrictions, and slightly highter taxes." "Alternative health options need to be included in health care benefits. Midwives (including those attending home births), Holistic/Natural Medicine Doctors, Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Natural Remedies, etc. should be ""billable"" choices for all Americans." female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MI 11/2/05 9:23 AM 2083 "The quality of health care is declining in the US. Also the lack of coverage for holisitic or alternative health care and natural supplmements and preventative care by most health insurance companies. If health care in America is going to improve, we must look at all options, including natural supplements and remedies and non-traditional solutions. I think there should be surveys and ratings done on physicians and health care providers and hospitals by the people they serve -- also that their level of errors and competency are posted so people know what kind of job they are doing. If most companies ran the way health care and hospitals do they would be bankrupt in a few years. The way they are overly influenced by the big pharmaceutical companies is not right." "Companies should have to pay a bigger share of the bill. If they can give large yearly bonuses and stocks, etc. to their CEO and top-level executives, they can afford to pay for their workers health care. Unfortunately most companies treat their employees as if they are a consumable commodity and use them, then discard them after they have served their purpose." I think they should expect high quality health care at an affordable price and nothing less -- it is sad that we are at the bottom of the list in health care and other countries are way ahead. We currently pay for way more than we get in the way of care. "Create a Presidential Appointed Health Care Task Force that is independent from to research and take a close look at other countries and see what is working for them and then copy their success. Likewise, see what doesn't work and eliminate it. The U.S. should have the BEST health care in the world and there is no excuse for the poor quality care most people have to put up with because of no other options. The American Health Care System needs a major overhaul now!" female NULL No Decline to answer Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 11/2/05 12:57 PM 2085 1. The number of uninsured/underinsured people. 2. The high cost. 3. The low quality in certain areas such as preventative care and mental health services. "Yes. I believe we should adopt a new Single Payer National Health Plan, such as the plan proposed by the Physicians For a National Health Plan." Affordable high quality health care is possible without paying more money overall or reducing benefits by adopting a single payer system and eliminating the enormous bureaucratic waste that is the result of our current payment system. This would eliminate the private health insurance industry and save millions of dollars in overhead. Adopt a Single Payer National Health Plan. male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MO 11/2/05 1:21 PM 2098 "I have lost two brothers this year, largely due to their poor access to health care. One was 47 and the other 39. Their deaths could have been postponed if they would have only felt they could have gone to the doctor when they first became symptomatic. But they couldn't afford to. I am concerned that I am now soon to be divorced. with a serious pre-existing condition it will be impossible for me to get insurance unless I am able to find a job that offers it. In Oregon, where I live, we have the highest percentage of uninsured people. Even my own doctor, a person of great integrity, told me yesterday that he is about to cancel his employer coverage for his staff because he simply cannot afford the small business premiums. I have a mother with Alzheimers who is in a Medicaid supported facility. If we lose that coverage, my father will not be able to cover the costs of her care. so I'm scared to death." "I believe that it is becoming increasingly evident that we need some kind of a single payer system, paid for with our tax dollars. The employer should be taken out of the loop completely. Personally, I've traveled in Europe and Canada and so I know that all the scary stories about having to wait months on end for any help are bunk. Even if I did have to wait months for a procedure, that is better than what I face now which is to not be able to have the procedure at all because I can't afford it. I think its obvious that we cannot afford as a nation to continue to pay welfare to for profit health insurance companies who do nothing but skim 30 to 40 percent off the top of all medical care costs. The pharmaceutical company profits are obscene and un Christian (I mention this because though conservatives keep talking about wanting us to live by Christ's teachings they are denying access for more and more Americans to what should be a human right). I have worked in the mental health field and can tell you that the main reason state health care systems are failing is because of the outrageous cost of pharmaceuticals that are pumped into these sick people. These people are almost universally overmedicated with no evidence whatsoever that taking more than one or two medications is really preferable in their overall outcome. Mental health agencies are visited constantly by drug company pimps who hand out free food so that the staff prescribes their ""newer"" ""better"" and oh so much more expensive drugs. We need to put a stop to this, and single payer would create that incentive." "I think we do need to look at over prescribing expensive drugs. In Oregon, I understand that they are putting together a drug registry to help patients look at their options when they do need medication treatment. Less expensive drugs frequently work just as well as the new, glamourous drugs advertised on TV. Drug advertisement of all kinds should be banned. they drive costs up. I also believe we need to have a discussion about quality of life and what kinds of procedures our nation can afford to offer people who are unlikely to benefit. I do not believe people like Terry Shiavo should be continued on life support when nearly everyone I know tells me that if they ever get into that situation they do not want to be kept alive indefinitely by artificial means. Yes, I recognize the dangers of euthanasia to people with disabilities (I am one). But I think our country needs to come to grips with this issue, as tricky as it is. I don't have all the answers, but I have seen and experienced many wasteful medical treatments - drugs, unnecessary procedures, etc. that are imposed on sick and dying people - usually without their consent. I believe in the right to die with dignity and in pain relief and hospice. this is a much cheaper and more humane option. I also think we need to look at issues like sustaining severely premature infants with heroic measures that end up only condemning many to a life of suffering. Maybe some in the religious right feel that every human life (at least every American human life) is so sacred that we can't have this kind of debate. but I believe they are far outside the mainstream of thought in this country. And its time to talk about all this. Doctors and other professionals also need to realize that we cannot afford them to be in ""business"" to make obscene profits. They should be well paid, and their schooling and malpractice costs should be covered by our taxes in exchange for a fair (not exorbitant) salary." "Single payer health care. It works well in other countries. Geez, they even treated me in England - for free. And the doctor took more time with me than they do in the US. And seemed more relaxed and genuinely concerned with my welfare. And I knew he wouldn't give me unnecessary drugs and procedures. " female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/2/05 3:53 PM 2099 " We are spending far too much of our health care dollars for end of life care. We need to shift so that more dollars go into preventative health care, quality of life, and basic health care. " " We must shift away from employer based health care for two main reasons. Businesses in the rest of the world don't have to pay employee health care costs so it makes American business uncompetitive. That in turn encourages more companies to drop or reduce health coverage which adds to the number of uninsured, which raises insurance costs to the remaining businesses and the cycle starts again. We probably need to shift to government funding. The government is becoming the major payer anyway because of Medicare. But we should be aware of the problems created by national health care in other nations, especially long waiting periods for care." " Whether the public is willing to make trade-offs is a good question. Gradually we must be educated that no system can supply everything to everyone. We should focus on making sure that everyone has access to basic and preventative care and be willing to admit that we can't do organ transplants and other high expense medical care for everyone, especially those who are elderly and near the end of life." " The most important thing Americans can do to improve their health care is to follow the basic advice we all know: Eat a variety of mostly healthy foods, get lots of exercise and adequate rest. We can't ask high-priced medical care to solve problems for us that we could solve inexpensively for ourselves if we only would. Somehow we need an incentive system that rewards good personal behavior." male NULL No Decline to answer Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/2/05 6:58 PM 2107 "Limited availability and high cost, especially for middle class working families. Rising drug costs and our absymal infant/maternal stats are alarming." "YES!! I truly think socialized medicine would be a better model, but have no illusions that our country will embrace that model. Private insurance costs are prohibitive for many, yet the current Medicaid system is almost so convuluded as to be unusable. Most disturbing are the numbers of children left without appropriate health care and needed medications. Vision, dental, maternity and mental health services should be mandatory under all plans." I think it depends on which segment of the population you question. For corporate america I don't think any trade-offs are acceptable if they interfer with profits. Personally I'd trade the war in Iraq to care for our children at home. "Availability of Midwifery services for all women. Midwives should be privledged at all hospitals in collaborative, as opposed to supervised, relationship with MDs. Genuine Breastfeeding support services available to all women with a goal of increasing our breastfeeding rates. These two measures would save our country several BILLIONS of health care dollars every year." female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/3/05 1:38 PM 2111 "The tremendous number of uninsured, the waste in health care dollars going to management oversite, insurance companies and pharmaceuticals." "Yes, I would advocate for a single payor system, I think that health care should not be attached soley to employment." "I believe that there would be very few trade offs that would be necessary. I believe that the current system is awash in waste, mismanagement and profiteering by the insurance industry, pharmaceutials and some of health corporations/providers. The American people have been brainwashed into being fearful of any type of system that is not run on a capitolistic/market driven base. The public needs to re-educted about the choices that can work in this country and continue to provide choice of provider as well as a sound and comprehensive health care package. The American people have been brainwashed into believing that there is no place for government in health care and this simply is not true. Perhaps the Katrina disaster will have opened up people's minds that government can serve a purpose. Public Health is for the good of our economy as well as for our citizens." Single Payer system with private insurers only providing supplemental packages. All citizens should have access to a basic health care package. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/3/05 7:16 PM Duplicate na 2112 "The wasted money. In 2001, the World Health Organization released a report reviewing all the outcome data in the world. The US ranked 37th, tied with Cuba. That year the US spent $4400 per capita. Cuba spent $900 per capita. Where did the other $3500 go?" We need a single-payer health care system run by epidemiologists. "If we go to medicare for everyone, there will be no trade-offs. We'll have enough money to give every one health care with prescription drug coverage with some left over!!" "A single payer health care system, run by epidemiologists, focused on prevention--especially prevention of prenatal and perinatal problems." female NULL NULL White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/3/05 8:26 PM 2113 It is out of control "Yes, I lived in England for six years and think that their system is much better. Universal care wwith individualized providers" "For non urgent care, we could have to wait longer " "Make it universal, some how it has to be like K-12 education (obligatory)" male NULL Yes White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/4/05 12:37 AM 2116 "It is so expensive! If you do not work for a really great company that will help you and your family, or have a lot of money there is little yu can do." It is interesting to me that so many insurance companies have these great big beautiful buildings. Are they getting rich off of everyone? Are there ways we can make changes to this? I am not sure. My first and most important role is to put food on the table and a roof over my families head. So because of that we go without insurance. I would like to see more affordable insurance for a good plan! female NULL No White Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/4/05 1:19 PM 2117 People who try and get health care are being turned down for no reasons by the insurance companies. Especially when you get doctor letters saying your in great health. We pay out our pocket NULL people who try and be upstand and get health care should be accepted by insurance companies especially if they provide documentaion of great current health. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/4/05 1:42 PM 2119 "Price, and severe dependency upon the physician by the consumer. The consumer should take steps to educate themselves, and make informed decisions regarding their healthcare for themselves and their families. " "If the prices for healthcare in general were cheaper.. or regulated, the outstanding bills might get paid a bit faster. " The American public shouldn't have to make Trade-offs in regards to their own or families health. "Make midwifery care available to ALL women of childbearing years, and Educate, educate, educate. " female NULL No Decline to answer Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MT 11/4/05 2:19 PM 2124 "Too many uninsured, undercovered people. When you go in for medical care, you have to waste time filling out forms re: which insurance company (HMO) you're with. HMOs have too much power & often intercede between patients & doctors. " "Think : ""Single Payer""! Take the Canadian & Scandinavian systems as a starting point; keep that concept as a starting point & improve upon it. Every citizen & legal resident of the USA gets a medical insurance number & is issued a card for all medical & dental needs. Get rid of private, for-profit HMOs. " "We are ready to trade off competing HMOs for a universal, all-inclusive medical care system." "Think ""Single Payer"". Keep it simple." male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/5/05 10:52 PM 2126 The cost of perscriptions is out rageous. i can see why people go to mexico or canada to buy there medicine. why don*t we adopt a plan lilke they have to reduce rates. ? We shouldn*t have to have high perscription plans Quit charging so much for medicines some people only make $400.25 a month. what is america going to do when they can only think of this and can*t help starving homeless people. NULL don*t make this perscription plan for every one and quit making us feel guilty for not being sick we shouldn*t have to pay we should be able to take it out later on down the road with out a penalty. your making us feel like we are living in a communist world. you know man don*t own the earth but some times i feel like man thinks they do by making us buy and pay for other people. female NULL No Response Decline to answer High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/7/05 12:09 AM 2127 "Cost (even for the insure), quality (abysmal - virtually everyone I know, including myself have had serious problems with hospital care), access (a moral scandal that 46 million are without health insurance) Our love affair with the medical model, fewer resources devoted to public health, preventive care and community-based care." "Most definitely. We should do the evidence-based right thing here and move towards a universal, streamlined, single payer model." Much vaunted choice is a myth. I am convinced that people would settle for HMOs/provider panels (most insured personshave some form of that now) in exchange for universal access. Such arrangements are far better for quality and cost (global budgets can be set) as well "Think boldly, include the public, go where the evidence points!!" NULL NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MD 11/7/05 8:45 AM 2149 " My biggest concern about healthcare in America today is that it is big business. It is not about science or healing it is about money and covering your butt. I am a midwife and a nurse, working both in home and hospital settings, and I see so much of our money wasted in testing and procedures to protect from liability and no emphasis on low-tech, cost-effective, preventative measures such as emphasis on diet, nutrition, exercise, and healthy living. The fact that medicine is big business also makes it unaccesible to a growing number of Americans, including myself, who do not have healthcare. Healthcare should be evidence-based, cost-effective, and available to all Americans. There are many simple things people can do on their own to ensure continued health and well-being, but as long as medicine is about making money this information will not be given to the general public. I also strongly believe that women should have a choice of where, how, and with whom they wish to give birth. This means that insurance should cover midwives as well as obstetricians, and home or birth center birth as well as hospital birth. More than 30 years of scientific research has proven home or birth center birth with a licensed midwife to be just as safe and sometimes safer than hospital birth. Not only is it safe, it has significantly reduced rates of medical intervention, including cesarean section, making it much more cost-effective than hospital birth." " More health care costs should be paid for by the government in order to allow all Americans access to healthcare. It is shameful that in such a wealthy nation, millions of Americans do not have access to healthcare." Higher taxes. Change the healthcare system from one which is fueled by economics to one which is based on health and healing. female NULL No Response White Associate Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/7/05 12:25 PM 2179 "We are focused on keeping the insurance companies happy. I think that we should look at the Oregon Health plan again. It was carefully crafted to make the most use of each dollar when it comes to health care speending. If the poor have health care free and everyone in jail has health care free, and everyone who is covered by treaty (native Americans) is covered why not just cover everyone? The only people not covered seem to be the ones paying for it." "I would go for a sales tax on food. And some food items would get extra taxation. Hydrogenated oil for instance, sugars and alcohol would make good targets, How about fried foods served at fast food outlets? If Eating it makes you need more medical attention tax it more heavily. This would also raise the public awareness as to what problem foods are." NULL NULL male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/7/05 5:00 PM 2180 "The current system doesn't work. The cost is too high, the benefits too low. Health Care as it stand today in the US is helping to bankrupt the country" "Employer base health care does not work. Large companies closing production plants because of health care cost, and small business can't afford to insure employees Administrative cost are out of sight,only the insurance companies and HMOs are reaping the benfits of high insurance costs" Americans have already given up enough. The trade off should be to trade in the current market based system for a National Health Care plan - it would save the country a lot of money. We would also be willing to cut defense spending to provide health care for all. The current system is not working for most Americans. We must have a national health care plan female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/7/05 6:43 PM 2205 "If you have had something in the past and are no longer being treated for it, most insurance companies don't want to insure you. How are Americans supposed to protect themselves from major medical expenses? I am currently trying to obtain health insurance as a real estate agent and I am being denied coverage because of 4 year old anxiety and depression period in my life. I was never hospitalized, but they still won't accept me. You know, I am starting to agree with my husband. His idea is to forget it, and if something happens, the hospitals can't do anything to you as long as you are paying them something every month. It really would save us alot of money in monthly premiums. I never wanted to go this route, but am feeling as though I have no choice." "Many people are receiving government assistance already. I feel as though the government should help everyone, even if they have to raise taxes somewhat." "If we could get antibiotics like they do in Mexico, most of us could treat ourselves for minor cold and sinus infections without going to the doctor everytime we run a fever. We are smart, allow us to treat ourselves for these things." Make it more affordable in some way. female NULL No White Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL AR 11/7/05 10:47 PM 2209 "I am most concerned about the fact that so many are uninsured. I am beginning to be more and more concerned about the rising number of baby boomers who will start to need the care that is being delivered today and there will not be enough to go around. Finally I am concerned abot the sense of entitlment that is prevalaent in our system that gives unbalanced, nonequitable care to all." "At this point some kind of universal health care is in order. A system that is equitable for all. The overwhelming burden on employers is driving costs of business beyond what they can pay, driving small scale busniness to no insurances at all. Paying out of pocket is far beyond what most American families can afford at the cost of an average of $600 month or more. $7200 of an average $30,000-$40,000 salary is beyond what folks can bear when you add the cost of housing, utilities and food. It is why many go without. It is a gamble we take." "I hope they will be willing to forgo unecessary treatments or treatments that are offered only to the entitled. I am hoping that the folks who are currently able to afford plastic surgery, extensive reproductive assistance, dental correction, breast augmentation or reduction, even keeping people on assisted ventilation to defer death, will begin to see the cost of the rise in care due to some of this unecessary care. I think it will be a ""hard selI"" to the American public. But we have been sold much worse, so I feel it will be possible." "Cost effective delivery of good care can come from many different practitioners. The cost savings of well care delivered to people via nurses, midwives, trained care providers, trainings of people for job specific tasks: dialysis, IV antibiotic delivery, home care for specific treatment, all could be done by trained people who are not doctors or nurses in a costly setting. Birth which is normal can be moved out of hosptials at a tremendous savings in hopsital and nursing fees. Death that is inevitable can be handled at home with yet another tremendous cost savings . All without the high cost of overqualified practioners." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/8/05 9:32 AM 2216 "My greatest concern about American Health Care is that it is considered a commodity, accessible to most, but not a public asset, accessible to all. This generates a whole employment layer of buyers and sellers and regulators of the commodity, and consumes vast amounts of resources that are not at all connected to the acts of providing or receiving the actual health care Americans need. We have a complex, deeply pervasive industry that watches and manipulates and trades in access to those health care episodes, but produces nothing of value to the provider or the health of the patient. This is an immoral use of health care resources; it suppresses universal access to care to support bureaucratic employment with those dollars. " "Yes. I believe that health care should be paid for by taxing ALL personal and business income and uncoupled from worker compensation. And I believe that CMS is very capable of setting standards for what will be paid and paying all providers for their services, at a huge cost savings overall. Of course, insurers and analysts and consultants and health care economists and policy experts and lawyers would largely need to find new areas of the economy to feed off of, but at least they would have access to health services while they were retraining and searching for new employment." "I believe the American people would accept reform of professional liability awards, as long as they were assured that their needs would be met and that there would be just compensation for injuries. I believe the American people would accept slower innovation in pharmaceuticals and designer surgical techniques in return for more innovation, spurred by government investment, in disease prevention and public health initiatives, and genomic research to these ends. Private industry will not adopt these goals, but the people can and should. It will all depend on how they are educated and persuaded of their interest. Some trade-offs I am not sure that elected representatives in Washington are willing to accept are: 1) Loss of jobs in such a huge sector of our economy; 2) The pressure of the insurance industry and their public relations campaigns to make the American people afraid of scarcity or ""rationing,"" which is exactly what is happening NOW; 3) Loss of significant political contribution from the various industry lobbies; 4) The outrage of American physicians who fear that they will lose control of their economic opportunities, which they currently view as entitlements." "I recommend universal access to single-payer care. Phase in over a ten-year window, but commit, and don't back down. Americans aren't willing to pay more than we do now for the health care industry, and we must get more value for our money. It will ruin our economy if we can't uncouple it from wages and spread it across all income produced in the nation. " female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/8/05 4:02 PM 2218 "The fact that rich people get the best health care, and that middle, lower class, or poor people get the worst care." "I think that businesses, individuals, and the government should all have a stake in paying for our health care. " "I think Americans aren't used to making trade offs, because our government and our ideology encourages us to be selfish and never think of others. I think it's better for all of us, all americans, to have pretty good health care, instead of some rich people having excellent, top drawer health care, while the rest of us get crap. You know, for instance, like how stuck up old white men in Congress have great health care--and the elderly or veterans get stuck with Medicare or waiting in long lines at the VA." "I think government should tell the truth about the way that insurance companies and doctors are out simply to make MONEY. The fact is that the capitalist-driven nature of our insurance companies means that companies like Blue Cross or Kaiser compete NOT by giving the best quality care at the most efficient price, but by doing everything they can to avoid paying for anything. By cherry picking healthy folks and covering them--and weasling out of paying for those of us who are sick, who have chronic problems, or who are otherwise ""too expensive"". There are millions of people out there who work every day to deny people's health insurance claims. What if we put those people to work healing others? Maybe if we had a health care system whose FIRST PRIORITY was keeping people healthy, rather than making money for investors, we could take care of people efficiently and inexpensively." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/8/05 4:47 PM 2220 The lack of affordable care for everyone. "I believe we should have anational healthcare systems, much as they do in so many civilized countries." How about stopping the war? Anational healthcare program. female NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/8/05 5:33 PM 2222 "The fact that the government is treating the symptoms of the problem, much like doctors treat the symptoms but never get to the real cause much of the time. Hospitals, doctors, and especially drugs keep soaring but the government talks about companies paying more for health care, companies talk about employees paying more, and no one is honestly dealing with the high profits of pharma companies, and the high cost of specialists etc. Pharmasutacal (sp?) companies do have to spend on research, but I bet you would find high profits still, much like the oil companies are now enjoying. Too many are getting drugs prescribed, then others prescribed to counter the side effects of the first. We need to make ALL people equally important when it comes to their health and the care needs to be TO MAKE THEM HEALTHY!!!!! NOT DRUG DEPENDANT, that isn't Health. " "We are at the low income end, not proverty but low enough that the 300 plus a month just to cover me and my husband means coverage or food and/or utilities but not both. Oh yes and insurance companies have a real racket going when your employer says its over 300 a month to cover two middleage people (no more kids) or a family with several kids. We wouldn't need the maturnity, pediatric etc. of a young family but we have to pay the same for alot less need because the insurance company wont give the employer a rate for just the two adults. The employee (my husband) is 82 a month, but to add just me, just one person not a whole family, is over 300. Go to the source of the high and higher medical costs, NOT to how to pay higher and higher payments. Stop using hmo's etc. as money making machines for ""stockholders"". Medicine and health of all should not be involved or tied up with ""profit and loss"". That is one of our biggest mistakes. " "Caps on lawsuits. Yes it can be painful but some are getting very large settlements which are not realistic to lost wages (even for the rest of their life)or other losses. And yes we could have sued over the death of one of our babies but it wouldn't bring him back and just would heap more financial pain on our medical people. It goes back to what I already said. It has to MATTER that we ALL have health care, stay healthy and we do that by the doctors charging what it really costs to see someone, fix them up etc. I cut my thumb and being deep I couldn't bandage it so went in for stiches, about 4 or 5 little stitches. The bill was $600 for a cut on a thumb. That is NOT realistic but full of ""profits"" for the hospital, and doctor. It wasn't life threatening, they didn't have to work hard at all. It was small and simple, yet if a doctor was charged that for a simple hair cut, lawn mowing, gardening, tire change, etc. he would be very upset. Paying for health care might be taken care of like we do for our Police and Firefighters. They protect and save lives at much MORE peril to their own than doctors, yet are paid sooo much less. We would have budgets for so many doctors, hospitals, etc. all tied to the population of a city and or county. Doctors paid the same whether they worked in a small rural town or a larger city, but the larger city would have more doctors to handle larger volumes of people. This would mean that their salaries and the costs of the hospitals would be tied to taxes, yes taxes. those owning property would be paying the most,(except landlords can tack some on to the rent they charge). However you would have a larger number of people paying in which should disperse the burden more, we all could pay less, and ALL could use the services. There are always tax breaks for the poorest who owned property, but you wouldn't need health insurance parts of companies, and you can match the cost of the care to what the taxpayers are willing to pay. We all pay school taxes whether we have children in school or not. We all pay property taxes for libraries whether we use them or not. The thing is we all have the choice to use them or not, but we do have them to use, just as all would be able to go to the doctor or not, as they choose. This would give more control to the public over what they would pay, just as it does what they are willing to pay for things like, schools, firefighters, police etc. It puts more control on those who ""pay"" not having it be ""price driven"" by those to do the service (doctors, hospitals, clinics)." "That we remove it from the ""for profit"" arena and put it where it belongs in the same catagory as part of our rights as tax paying citizens,in there with the right to an education, the persuit of happiness, fair and equal treatment and many other rights we all have and are entitled to. Health affects us all from the employer who pays insurance,or loses work from sick employees, to the employee who pays insurance, to lost wages when he is sick, and may not even have insurance, or sick leave as we do not. We all pay a price one way or another for bad health to us OR others, including the ""sick"" clerk in the store we go to, who can't go to the doctor with no insurance, so is making all of us who come to her register,sick and then we go to the doctor and pay or stay home sick. ""No man is an island"", especially when it comes to health. " female NULL No White Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL UT 11/9/05 12:51 AM 2287 Rising cost and available care. We are a small business family with NO insurance coverage. My husband has been denied coverage b/c of some health issues he had in 2000. I have 2 children to think about. It would be nice for us to have available coverage that does not have an extreme monthly price tag. NULL NULL Support Senator Enzi's health care bill for small businesses. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MS 11/10/05 10:39 AM Duplicate na 2297 "The lack of real public health care specialists in decision-making roles. For example, there is no required reporting/counting and mapping of contagious diseases like TB, AIDS, CWD, and so on. A few death counts from death certificates is all the stats we have to determine policy. In some states food-handlers are not tested for TB anymore. Most can't afford health care of any sort. " I would like to see a system more like that in Canada. Let Ralph Nader plan it! "Trade the IRaq war for health care and citizen services. If that isn't enough, cut corporate welfare and picking up the WTO sanctions tabs for corporations. Reinstate the idea of taxing the VERY wealthy more than the middle class and poor. " Control the borders and send illegals back to Mexico. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL AZ 11/11/05 5:12 PM 2299 The health care system is pricing itself out of the reach of average Americans and of companies that are not high profit industries. The costs as I have tried to understand them reflect a gross amount of non productive overheads: Litigation and litigation protection Paper work of a segnificate level required profits for HMO's and insurance companies The overheads need to go to health care! "The heath care system needs to be changed to a national system with minimum litigation, paperwork and profit." NULL NULL male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/11/05 5:47 PM 2308 Millions of us do not have insurance coverage and the coverage we do have does not cover enough of the cost of medical care. Too many are at risk for bankruptcy due to medical expenses. Too many do not get adequate care. "Private insurance companies spend way too much denying people coverage (""You fall outside our underwriting guidelines.."") and denying legitimate claims. I've had both happen to me, entirely unjustified." "I don't think we need trade-offs. I think we can have universal care, paying out the same money we now pay out." Investigate national health insurance - Medicare for all. male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/14/05 5:30 PM 2312 It is not affordable I don't know I don't know There should not be cash discounts for insurance companies to hospital and yet a higher rate for cash patients. male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/15/05 10:56 AM 2313 People who hav eno insurance are charged more than people with insurance. Few doctors offer cash discounts yet insurance companies receive them. All licenced practioners should be included as acupuncturists and chiropractors and naturopaths are cheaper in the long run as they keep you well as well as facilitating the body to heal itself. Gatekeeper doctors haven't the right to keep you from seeking alternative care. Drug companies sell drugs with adverse side effects that keep the patient adding more and more drugs causing more and more side effects and a bigger and unending bill for the patient. Drug companies benefit the most and should pay more. "Raise taxes according to wealth. Wellness care is high quality care. Perhaps the percent that patients pay can be waived or greatly reduced for yearly check ups, mamograms and alternative wellness care acupuncture, chiropractic and massage." There should be no exclusions for previous conditions. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/15/05 11:11 AM 2319 "For-profit health care is wrong. Competition and free market action do not solve problems of access and affordability. We spend too much money and achieve embarassingly poor outcomes. Specifically my biggest personal concern is maternity care, which is organized perfectly backwards. Too much expensive medical and surgical rescue is the norm, and accessible high-quality prevention services supplied by midwives are available only to 10% of American families. It should be flipped, so that 90% of women are given care by midwives and a much smaller proportion of women should be utilizing obstetrical care. There are many many negative downstream consequences of this inversion." "Yes, Yes, Yes! I believe in single payer health care financing and I think the single payer should be the Medicare system, as suggested by Paul Krugman and others. We should expand Medicare to include all residents. The system is already in place. The only issue I have with Medicare is that midwives are not reimbursed fairly in the Medicare system. Specifically, midwives should be reimbursed 97% of what physicians receive for the same services. There are bills in Congress to this effect and they should be passed before Medicare is expanded to preganacy and birth care. Without these provisions, expansion of Medicare to pregnant women would be a step backwards." "The public is finally ready to consider increased taxes in order to decrease health insurance costs, I believe (depending on how it is framed). Industry must get behind it and it must be done gradually and fairly. Start by merging Medicaid into Medicare (fix the midwife problem first- 97%! 97%!). Then drop down the eligibility age for Medicare. Somehow find a way to let employers offer Medicare as an option, paid for by payroll taxes perhaps. I don't really know what would be the most efficient or the most acceptable to the public. I personally would certainly pay more taxes - a lot more taxes - for a single payer system." I can't decide if expanding access to midwifery to all women or single payer is more important. I believe they are both vital. There is a third issue which I think would have a profound and positive effect on our health care and would specifically benefit the most needy - the electronic medical record. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/15/05 3:24 PM 2320 "As rich as we are as a nation, decent comprehensive health care should be available to everyone without question, as a matter of right. There should be plenty left over to help establish such health care in other countries where health care has been compromised due to our nation's policies and actions." "Comprehensive, decent health care for everyone should be one of the first priorities in government budgets, along with safe and secure housing nutritious food, clean air and water, and full educational opportunity, starting at the national level. Well-off employers and individuals should be progressively taxed to pay for those basics. After they are taken care of, then let Congress, the President, and others argue over how much of what's left should go to military ventures, tax breaks for the well-off, and similar craziness." "If well educated about the need, the true costs, and the effects, as well as the possibilities of progressive taxation as outlined above, i think a great majority of the American public is willing for the military to sacrifice some of its illegal and wholly immoral ventures, and also willing to sacrifice much of the wealth of the fraction of 1% of the population who have hoarded obscene amounts of resources that are needed by others." Prioritize health over war. male NULL No Response Decline to answer Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MI 11/15/05 3:38 PM 2323 Hard-working Americans are not offered healthcare at their jobs so they go without and get extemely ill often. National healthcare--would help with waste as well as give everyone the care they need "I think Americans should be willing to not get to a specialist until the primary care physician has tried a few things, and also I have no problem with expensive tests like MRI's needing to be approved by a specialist before they are ordered. I am a primary care physician and I see the waste." National healthcare female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MD 11/16/05 8:42 AM 2324 The fact that many Americans don't have health insurance and that health care is not about preventing disease. Should be paid for by the government - universal health care! cut down on military spending Don't spend billions of dollars on Avian Flu virus vaccines - integrate homeopathic medicine into the mainstream system of health care! Avoid processed foods and sugar as much as possible female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/16/05 9:07 AM 2341 "Too many people, especially children, are uninsured or underinsured." "We should have a single-payor system, whether it is called ""Medicare"" or something else, for everyone, period. The savings in administrative costs alone would be worth it. We would no longer have to coordinate coverage and care between various agencies, and it would be the same for everyone. People could still purchase additional coverage for co-pays or elective/non-covered procedures." "I'm not sure the public, as a whole, has the will to make any big changes. Those who are insured, look the other way, and plans don't seem to get anywhere." "Health care as a right - maybe we need a constitutional ammendment! - for every US citizen. National health insurance for all, with some Medicare contributions from pay from those who work, and administrative savings and funds from the medicaid and needs-based programs helping to cover those who do not work, who are not dependents of those who do work. Alternative is some part of income tax funding the program entirely, and doing away with Medicare contributions from pay." female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/16/05 4:41 PM 2342 "the lack of concern for the patient, and the amount of unquestioned authority doctor's are given. The dehuminization on medicine and the inflation of medicine as a business." I think the government should take on more responsibilty so that more of the country has access to equal health care. no more war! The midwifery model of care... a.k.a. listening to patients and making time for their concerns and their needs. female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/16/05 8:45 PM 2343 The accelerating costs--The fact that 1/3 of the health care dollar in private insurance goes to administration instead of direct patient care and the fact that there are so many Americans going without any health care coverage. Pharmaceutical Companies and Private Health Insurance should be limited in the amount of profit they can make. The government needs to take charge of conducting research and the pharmaceutical companies would contribute a percentage out of their profits to government research. There should be no tax deduction for advertising in health care. "We need to have a single payor system. Individuals, Employers and the government need to be paying into a central trust fund that will then be used to cover health costs. With a single payor system there would be less cumbersome beaurocracy and we could have some real bargaining power with the pharmaceutical companies." This is a ridiculous question. American health care is # 1 in costs in the world and we are ranked #37 by the WHO organization in delivery and quality. Who wouldn't be willing to trade that low quality rating for less cost? "We need a single payor system that would cover basic and preventative health care for all Americans. Individual, private insurance companies need to be phased out or restricted to a 2nd tier or frills type of coverage." female NULL No Decline to answer Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/16/05 10:43 PM 2345 "That the people who need health care the most can't afford it. Why should only a fraction of our citizenry be eligible for basic health care. I would be willing to pay more to Social Security for Medicare for all, not just those who are 65 and older. Why can't we have universal health care and for those that can afford it continue with supplemental insurance policies like seniors have now. No one in the U.S. should be denied health care because of their inability to pay. We live in a democracy and we should all enjoy the benefits of a free and healthy land. " I think all employers should be required by law to furnish health care options to their employees by sharing the burden of the cost of health care with the government and the individuals that they employ. Why can't we have a medicare type system for all. "Those that have more money like corporations, and rich individuals should help pay for basic health care for everyone in America. I'm willing to pay more for my health insurance if it would mean that my less fortunate neighbors could get the same kind of health care protection that I have. " A national health care system set up like Medicare that would cover all Americans. female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/17/05 8:44 PM 2346 The time delay for diognostic services caused by insurance companies micro management of individuals health care. I suggest doctors be rated from patient outcomes and those who rate over the 70 percentile in positive outcomes be allowed to order what ever they feel is needed to diognose patients. Insurance companies are acting as regulators of health services. This should not be allowed since they have a financial self interest and are assuming they know better than the physician what the patient needs. By rating doctors this would allow for higher quality of care and save money through prevention of further medical assistance due to lack of treatment or diognosis. "Yes, tax incentives should be provided to hospitals that improve patient outcomes and maintain or reduce cost of services. All policies should be based on patient outcomes not cost of services. In this way the competitive focus would be to improve outcomes while keeping costs down. Grant competitions of state and national data systems to evaluate patient outcomes of hospitals and physiciancs should be allocated. Also the services provided to illegal immigrants must be addressed and hospitals reimbersed by funds designated for foriegn assistance and not tied to funds targetted for US low income populations." The American public would not need to make trade offs if policies and practices were developed to increase the quality of care per dollar spent. I feel the American public is frustrated with current care and feels they are in the middle of a power struggle between physicians and insurance companies over money and power issues. Both of these groups are self centered and to some degree often incompetent. The public is getting a raw deal because no one is looking at outcomes only costs. Americans are also responsible for their own health through their behaviors. I feel people who do what they can to stay healthy should be rewarded through tax breaks for improvement in lifestyle and health status. More incentives should be offered for healthy behaviors on an individual basis and in the work place. Public health should be given money for more prevention programs in the workplace and in low ecconomic areas. I suggest doctors be rated from patient outcomes and those who rate over the 70 percentile in positive outcomes be allowed to order what ever they feel is needed to diognose patients. By rating doctors this would allow for higher quality of care and save money through prevention of further medical assistance due to lack of treatment or diognosis.tax incentives should be provided to hospitals that improve patient outcomes and maintain or reduce cost of services. All policies should be based on patient outcomes not cost of services. In this way the competitive focus would be to improve outcomes while keeping costs down. Grant competitions of state and national data systems to evaluate patient outcomes of hospitals and physiciancs should be allocated. Also the services provided to illegal immigrants must be addressed and hospitals reimbersed by funds designated for foriegn assistance and not tied to funds targetted for US low income populations. female NULL No Other Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/18/05 10:55 AM 2347 My concerns about Health care are many. My greatest concern is the lack of health coverage for students. I am in college right now and out of 34 students under half of us have health insurance. This is very sad to me. Concerned that Pharmacutical companies are overspending resulting in very high cost for much need medications. "I think that the government involvement needs to be more prominent. A lot of people in college and even in Minimum wage jobs can't afford health care so they don't get it. I think for these people there should be some sort of assistance. I think it all boils down to what the government is considering 'poverty' In our nation, federal minimum wage only $5.15 an hour, now if my math is correct, if a person works 40 hours per week that is only about $9,800 before taxes. From the statistics on this website the average person spends $6,400 dollars a year on health care... this doesn't leave much for a person making federal minimum wage very much money to spend on other very basic needs, such as housing, food, clothing, and transportation." It is sad for me to say but I am not too sure that there are too many trade off's that Americans are willing to make. The gap between the richest people and the poorest people in America is too big. I believe that if something isn't an issue for someone they aren't going to be concerned about it. I think the best thing we can do is educate people through the Media about how many people are uninsured and aren't recieving Health Care. I beleive that a lot of people don't even know how much of a problem this is and even if they do I don't think they really know how they can help. "To focus more on Mean income levels of the majority of Americans. I beleive that if we solely focus on the Average income the numbers become unrealistic. I also beleive that we need to take the cost of living into account also. We did a mock budget in my Sociology class on what it would cost to live on a very conservative income and the average income needed to pay for everything in cash was $21,000 dollars yearly. I that money is the root of everything and how money is distributed through out our government and large corporations needs a closer look by all Americans." female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/18/05 2:16 PM 2348 "The high cost and the fact that you get less and less for your money. I had to drop mine after having it for 59 years, because I can no longer afford it." The system should be scrapped altogether and a new universal health care system set up. Everyone should be able to afford to get regular medical care and it shouldn't break their pocketbook. "We are already paying for health care. We are not getting it. We need ""socialized"" care, but the American public can't handle calling it that. But that's what we need. It has to have a different name." Take it out of the hands of private insurance companies. A medicare program that covers everyone is what is needed. female NULL No White Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/18/05 11:02 PM 2349 "Like many Americans, I am concerned about the cost of healthcare and the growing divide between those who can afford it and those who cannot. As a nurse-midwife, I provide care to women throughout the life-cycle, focusing on pregnancy and childbirth. I find that the midwifery is a low-intervention, low-cost model that is appropriate for the majority of women. When given an option, most women choose midwifery. Not only is midwifery safe as well-ducumented in the medical literature but it has been shown to decrease the the c-section rate and other complications. To me, midwifery seems like the perfect antidote to a high-cost, high-intervention obstetrical system that wastes precious medical and surgical resources on healthy, non-medical births. While it is only one piece of the medical system, creating a midwifery-based model of care as THE standard of care would save millions of dollars for our system." "I believe that we should move towards a strong, centralized health care system paid for with taxpayer dollars. Health care options should not be reliant on one's economic background but instead should be part of a free, prevention-focused, evidenced-based sytem. " "Today, I think that few Americans wish to increase their tazes to pay for a universal health care system. However, as the cost of medical care increases and more and more middle class Americans find even they cannot afford medical care, I believe that this refusal will change. People will want to know that they will be able to receive and rely on our medical system to given them care when they need it." "First, create a midwifery model of care as the standard of care in obstetrics. This model would have midwives as independent care providers who utilize obstetricians with medical issues in pregnancy or complications in labor. This model would decrease our health care costs while also improving maternity care in the the U.S. Second, move towards the creation of universal healthcare-essential to combate the escalating costs of our privatized system" female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/19/05 6:27 AM 2350 The unavailability of all americans to have the healthcare they deserve and need. "I think if a worker making 30,000 annually could ppay a 100.00 a month for a single person or 200.00 amonth for a family of 2 or more. The employer could add 150.00 per individual or 250.00 per family.The government should cover the rest.Maybe in tax refunds as in deductions.Co- pays would be 5 0r 10 dollars.Anyone earning less then 30.000 would pay less and if they had a family they would pay even less. The employer would pay make it's share, with the Government taking care of the rest. " "Cut back on the wasteful spending . Excess military spending,going to the Moon or Mars projects.Paying Farmers not to farm etc." Get the MDA behind it.They are the one's that deal with this crisis everyday ! Also Hold the Insurrurs accountable. They got us in to this mess. female NULL No Response Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Some high school Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/20/05 8:27 PM Duplicate na 2352 "The lack of universal coverage for everyone- working americans, singles, children, families, mod., low and very poor, those with chronic illness(uninsurable). Businesses are opting out of medical coverage for employees and retirees, while layoff and downsizing leaves millions without insurance. Our current system is un-just, immoral and inhumane. Over 50% of all bankrupties are caused by medical bills. We spend 40% more than other countries, but do not cover everyone and we rank very low in infant mortality and life expectancy when compared to countries with universal health coverage. Our current system skims from the healthy and leaves the poor, unemployed, and the sick to suffer and die earlier and the rest risk fininacial disaster with one medical castrophy. The mark of both a civilized society and a Christian is to ""Care for the Least of These."" " "Yes - payment for medical care should be a single payer system with no deductible, no co-pay that includes coverage for medical, dental, vision and mental health. The plan should be funded by the current level of Medicaid taxes plus an additional tax on employers. Businesses would no longer have to bargin with insurance companies that continue to raise premiums to increase profits. There should be no profit in human illness and suffering and there should be no citizen that has to suffer because they cannot afford the cost of insurance and medical treatment; citizens should not have to chose between medical care and basic needs to live nor should they have to stay at jobs they hate because they will lose health care insurance." "I believe the American public would be willing to either levy a minimal national sales tax or raise the wage ceiling on Medicare and Social Security taxes to eliminate the high cost of insurance premiums, deductibles and co-pays and obtain affordable, high quality healthcare for everyone. Employers should be required to pay a healthcare tax which would be less than the average 8.5% they now pay to insurance companies. However, there should be no need for tradeoffs as the savings from eliminating the middle man(insurance companies) and purchasing bulk quantities of drugs or negotiating lower drug prices will more than cover the cost of covering everyone. In addition, by providing preventitive health care to all and the necessary care for chronic illness, people will be healthier and require less acute medical treatment for severe conditions that could have been prevented." "Health care must be easily accessable and available to everyone regardless of income and patients must be able to select their own doctor and hosipital. Healthcare decisions should be in the hands of physicians and patients- not insurance companies and HMO's. Medical care should not be a for profit business. Our Constitution provides for equal rights under the law, protection of life and liberty, and forbids discrimination based on race, color, age, religion or sex. Discrimination in accessing health care for the protection of life and the general welfare of citizens occurs every day based on lack of insurance." female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NC 11/20/05 10:48 PM 2362 Outrageous cost for an often ineffective system. "Costs are much lower (50% or so) and results are demonstrably better in countries that utilize a single payer system. I think we should work toward this. In addition, I think we should look more seriously at alternative medical approaches. The AMA, pharmaceutical companies, and insurance companies have been very effective in marginalizing other approaches, to our detriment - both in terms of cost and effectiveness. " "I think that when the picture is presented accurately, the public, with the exception of the AMA and pharmaceutical/insurance interests, would be willing to move toward a single payer system. The cost to business is becoming ever more burdensome, so they may be willing to support it. In fact, it may be the only way to keep many businesses afloat." Go to a single payer system. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/21/05 1:08 PM 2364 "The cost makes health care unaffordable for too many Americans. Additionally, unless you are covered by a group plan, insurance companies can keep you from receiving benefits for preexisting conditions. For example, someone under retirement age with a handicapping preexisting condition would have to pay exhorbitant premiums for individual coverage or exhaust all of their assets and become destitute to qualify for medcaid." way too many fingers in the pie. universal health care for all americans would have to be far less costly. I think Americans want it all for nothing; not too many are willing to give up anything. universal health care. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/21/05 1:48 PM 2365 "My career and personal focus has been on women's health care, particularly maternity care. I am deeply concerned that reform and revision of maternity care in the US must begin with a challenging analysis of the underlying understanding of pregnancy and childbirth. Rather than a pathology-based understanding, an alternative understanding must be considered. Even a cursory examination of those countries whose perinatal outcome indicators are superior to those for the US demonstrates that the US approach to childbirth care is expensive and not efficacious. I would like to see the Citizens' Health Care Working Group consider true reform of maternity care service delivery systems, rather than a bandaide approach that perpetuates an unsatisfactory system." "I strongly believe that employer-based healt insurance is not only financially unbearable to a healthy economy, it is also socially unjust when many working Americans are not eligible for any kind of health insurance. It is time to consider a kind of nationally funded health insurance program." "Americans already do not have complete access to necessary services. This is particularly true of community-based primary care services. In my area of Ohio, only 40% of women have received screening mammograms, and 37% have regular pap smears. These rates occur in a geographical area that has much higher incidences of cervical and breast cancer. Reasonable copayments, deductibles, and access to quality care are necessary for all. I would be willing, as an employed, tax-paying citizen, to see a central financing role for the federal government. Looking at the history of health care, it is apparent that access to health care procedures and specialized providers is considered a money-making venture in today's health care culture. This inexorably contributes to mis-utilization. Taking the profit motive out of the equation would enhance appropriate access to necessary procedures and providers." "I would reserve my recommendation to the maternity care services in our healthcare environment. Analyse the underlying assumptions about the pathology of pregnancy and birth, and challenge these. Alternatives with favorable performance statistics, in cost, in efficacy, and satisfaction do exist, and have the potential to save significant amounts of money, death and disability, and dissatisfaction. Think about birth centers, midwives, deregionalization of perinatal care, financing as a commitment to health and wellbeing, rather than a fear-based approach to a physiological process." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 11/21/05 2:15 PM 2366 That the prices will keep rising and the doctors will be doing less for what we are paying them. yes that there should be only one kind of health care and it should be offered to everyone. the price should be reasonable and the source should be reliable. i'm not sure the government should pay some since we'are paying for all those taxes lower the price make it more available female NULL No White Some high school Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL WI 11/21/05 2:19 PM 2367 Basic health care is too expensive and is increasingly unavailable to poor families even when both parents work full time. Employers with a large workforce are being irresponsible by not providing basic adequate healthcare to their employees. Employers with a large workforce should be required to provide health insurance for their employees at an affordable rate to the employees. NULL "All children, birth-18 years, should be provided with Government-sponsored health care." female NULL No Other Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MD 11/21/05 3:40 PM 2368 That the burden of the cost are being more and more burdened by us the working people of the US and not being shared more by corporate america. I believe that some sort of National Health care is the direction that we need to go. The Fair Share legislation would go a long ways in making big corporatations like Wal-Mart pay their fair share instead of using the system to their advantage. Instead of the big tax breaks for the wealthy I would like that to be used for health care in the US. We need to make sure that no US citizen ever has to go without healthcare or make the choice between food and their prescription drugs! male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL SD 11/21/05 5:32 PM 2369 higher cost every year. more out of pocket and less coverage. not being able to afford it any more. we r the richest country in the world w/o a national health care. all employers pay their fair share like ex ( Wal-mart who doesn't and tax payer pay for them.) all employer should have to pay there fair share. there doesn't always need to be a trade off. it should be part of the American way as the richest nation. "a fair share act for all employers, including WAL-MART. u must give health care to all Amercians before u can improve it." male NULL Yes Other High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/21/05 11:08 PM 2381 My family cannot afford health insurance yet we earn too much money to qualify for state assistance. Fewer employers offer comprehensive insurance. The costs are bankrupting us individually and collectively. TIME TO CHANGE before the economy slides further downhill. "Yes - I believe that a single payer, universal health plan should be a priority. It is inexcusable that the wealthiest nation has very high rates of preventable deaths and illnesses due to NO ACCESS to medical treatment. There is NO EXCUSE for this." "I think this question assumes that people will be making sacrifices beyond what they already make. A false assumption. We already spend more than double per person that other industrialized countries, yet we get less health care in return. We need to cut out the middle man which is crippling the whole system! (private insurers)" SINGLE PAYER UNIVERSAL health care for all Americans! female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL UT 11/22/05 1:19 PM 2382 "The cost and the fact that due to some minor medical conditions, I cannot obtain healthcare from most companies. They consider me a high risk. The ones that will cover me and my family want about $600 per month for minimal coverage." "I don't mind paying a monthly premium if it is reasonable, but I would rather pay higher taxes and have universal health care for everyone. Maybe with a co-payment for doctors visits and prescriptions based on your income level." "You have to decide where your priorities are. Health care for everyone is more important to me than financing a war, corporate and wealthy tax cuts, etc. I would pay higher taxes if the amount was completely devoted to health care for everyone." Single payer system or universal care using existing delivery systems and HMOs female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL UT 11/22/05 1:26 PM 2383 Unaffordable. Right wing interference. Create universal plan. Take employer out of the equation. We all pay our share. Less choice/options. NULL female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL ID 11/22/05 2:09 PM 2384 "Spiraling costs for coverage is a big concern. HMOs and insurance companies' control of government officials is another concern. If drugs are cheaper and just as safe to purchase from Canada it should be allowed. That is capitalism and fair trade. We, as citizens of the richest nation on earth, should not have to worry about health care access." NULL Flat tax everyone for health coverage...get rid of the medical insurance companies. "Universal health coverage for all regardless of income or status, much like what is already available in Canada and the UK." female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL IA 11/22/05 2:10 PM 2385 The cost and coverage no There should be done. We work hard we deserve benefits Lower costs made mandatory by Goverment female NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 2:13 PM 2386 It's not affordable. "All of the above, nobody wants to take responseablity. Just go to National Helath Care." "We have already made enough trade offs. It's the insurance company's fault. They want all the money,and don't want to pay out." Go National. female NULL No White Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IN 11/22/05 2:14 PM 2387 no vision is ever included. this is my major bill for any year. medical is usually just checkups. government should bare the bulk and then the employer and then the employee. none. we pay with every check something that should be put towards healthcare. government should find a way to take care of their people. male NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/22/05 2:18 PM 2388 "The extremely high cost of health insurance, the deductables, co-pays & waiting for approval for treatment." Health insurance should be taken out of the hands of insurance companies & be provided by the federal government & paid for by taxpayers. Medicare for everyone. "There should be a standard, low cost premium, lower co-pays, no deductables or a need for approval for treatment. We shouldn't have to trade off anything." "Remove insurance companies from the system, have the government handle it all." female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL NV 11/22/05 2:20 PM 2389 NULL NULL NULL NULL male NULL No Other Some high school Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MI 11/22/05 2:25 PM 2390 A lack of affordable health care. Employers eliminating or increasing employee contribution for health care. Convert to a single payer plan. Higher tax rates. Elect people who are committed to health care reform male NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/22/05 2:28 PM 2391 "The continuing rise in cost, while the drug companies reap huge profits." Every aspect of any personal payment should be totally tax deductible. Any family or individual making less than the poverty level income should be given 100% free healthcare. We need to look more closely at what other countries are doing to succesfully implement a national health care program that serves all classes of people. "Toss the 401K out and go to a profit share plan that simply ""Shares"" profit. Encourage people to be more attentive to waste and more frugal to unnecessary spending. I see a ton of waste every day from all types of businesses." Make any form of payment totally tax deductible male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 11/22/05 2:28 PM 2393 That my government would rather invade other countries and giving aid and support to other country's impovereshed than to take care of it's loyal citizens who have paid into the system for all of their lives!That my husband has no claim to medical treatment and falls betweween the cracks and can get NO medical attention and I must watch him suffer because we canot afford medical attention that he needs so despertly! Health care should be available to EVERYONE. The quality of that healthcare should be the same for my husband as it is for Bush! If you were to ask the generasl public and get rid of the lobbiest for the drug and medical communities we would have health care for all. We CAN afford it! see the response to the three propr questions! female NULL No White Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/22/05 2:31 PM 2394 Artificially restricted supply of health care due to use of guild system. Problem isn't on the demand side. We don't need to make trade-offs if the supply of health care is increased. "Build more medical schools so that people who are truly interested in healing people, instead of merely maximizing their profit, can become physicians. This might help break the strangle-hold physicans have on medical technology, where they insist all medical instrumentation return huge markups, which effectively shuts out price deflation due to better and cheaper technology." male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 11/22/05 2:35 PM 2395 "That Walmart is not giving good health care to their employees and that the American public is having to cover them with other ""government"" insurance. I am due to retire soon, I have paid for my own health care since 1966 and I am sure that I will have to pay lots more when retired to cover myself and my wife, and the govenment will not be there to help ""ME""" NULL NULL "Make Walmart cover their employees ""NOW"" so that there will be money for the rest of us, from our government." male NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 2:37 PM 2396 Costs to regular people are too high. People in the health care field aren't making that much more money. The insurance companies and administrators are taking too much and its causing All employers should pay into a system that extends equal coverage for everyone. That eliminates the lure of cutting health care benefits for workers in order to boost profits. People should be taken care of first. "We need to trade all of the overlapping and redundant services in our current health care system for a streamlined, cost-effective system. " Expand Medicare into full coverage for all Americans. Don't recreate a new program. Medicare already works. Let's make it work for everyone. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL DC 11/22/05 2:38 PM 2397 Lack of health care for a great many people; also inadequate mental health care We need something: National health care for preventive care of which the person may pay a co-pay based on income. Preventive care saves a lot of money in the long run. jAt least some type of help with all medical care for all(including mental health care) "some none. However, If we can show a correlation of increase cost of health insurance related to care given to those without health care more may accept it. Maybe we need to look at extreme measures used in last 6 month of someones life. Medicare costs are greatest in the last 6 mos of someone's life as in congestive heart failure, cancer, emphysema. We need to look more at comfort measures only." Provide at least some care for all. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IA 11/22/05 2:38 PM 2398 "It is not available to all residents of the United States on an equal basis. Generally, lower income people do not have access to good health care." Health care should be a right of all. There should be a single payer (the government) health care system where everyone has access to good health care for free. I don't know. I would be glad to have the money that is now being spent on war and global conquest spent instead on free health care for everyone in the United States. "Have a single payer system, eliminating corporate profit making from the system." male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 11/22/05 2:40 PM 2399 "that basic health care is NOT provided for ALL Americans. We seem to have money to waste on an illegal war, but can't even provide the basic necessities for families and children. " NULL NULL NULL female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL KY 11/22/05 2:43 PM 2400 inadequate coverage for uninsured and unresponsively insured with withholding healthcare administrators the system should be universal modeled after the medicare system hard to say single payer government-administered healthcare and prescription coverage male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 2:44 PM 2401 NULL Single payer plan is my choice. I amnot sure what people will put up with. Universal coverage. male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 2:44 PM 2402 "Poor health care. Most doctors seem to be trained to write prescriptions only. They know nothing about nutrition, nutritional deficiencies. They only seem to know prescriptions. " "Preventive health care, nutritional testing and counseling should be covered. This could reduce costs in the long run. The system seems to be driven by the pharmaceutical companies and that is the wrong influence. Not every condition is a disease. " "People are spoiled by the system. They expect prescriptions and instant fixes. This has to be challenged. Hitting them in the pocketbook is probably the only way to get their attention. Education about good nutrition, weight control, exercise, keeping the body alkaline instead of acidic might go a long way to keep down high costs of treating diseases in the future. But, people need incentives built into the system. Like what? Perhaps lower costs for losing weight, attending nutrition classes, etc. " "Look closely at alternative medicine and put those doctors in a position to influence the system. People in this country are uneducated about their own bodies, nutrition. " female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IN 11/22/05 2:45 PM 2403 Those who need health care most can't afford to get or keep it. "Streamline the process: have universal forms and payments, rather than having the sick among us being forced to research the minute details of each and every medical plan. Time and money are being wasted on things having nothing to do with the improvement of one's health." Medical coverage is way over-priced; the public is doing its part; it's far past time for medical providers and government itself to step up to the plate and provide practical and universal health care for all. Provide universal health care for all. female NULL No White Associate Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/22/05 2:46 PM 2404 the cost I think we should have a National Health care system I think the govt should provide health care so businesses don't have to Nationalize health care. Get health care and insurance lobbyists out of Washington. female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CO 11/22/05 2:47 PM 2405 Average indices of quality far below much of the modern world. Costs 50% higher than other modern health care systems. Forty-five to 50 million not covered. Huge overhead to finance cherry-picking administrative costs "We need to question the very basis of our insurance system i.e. ""moral hazard""." As employers cut jobs and benefits due to costs of health care and employee out of pocket costs escalate for those who do have a job the solution will be obvious. Smething like the Federal employee health plan with the government picking up the premiums for those unable to ay. Single payer. male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL MN 11/22/05 2:55 PM 2406 Most concerning is that money is more a priority than actual health. The affordability has been more focused on corporate affordability than personal affordability. "yes, i feel that everyone must be accountable for their part in paying for healthcare. Too many abuse the currant system, and think they deserve free care." I know that the working public would not have a problem with increases if the percentage of the public on unemployment and public aid had to be accountable for a percentage of their bills also. this would cut back on the abuse of the system conciderably. accountability male NULL NULL White NULL Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/22/05 2:56 PM 2407 Too expensive for the vast majority Not enough emphasis on prevention "Yes - can be made less expensive, and there should be a national health plan." "Do not believe that any trade-offs are necessary. If we switch from a for-very-large-profit health plan (as today) to a system bent more on health care, we could maintain (probably improve) current levels of health care. " A national health plan funded by taxation. male NULL No Asian Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL VA 11/22/05 2:58 PM 2408 "The number of uninsured people, and the fact that any gap in employment means loss of coverage for most working people who are lucky enough to have it as a benefit." "There ought to be a single-payer system, with the government providing comprehensive insurance for every American." "I am willing to pay some more in taxes to have the system simplified, and to have the pressure taken off of employers to provide insurance when it costs more every year for them to do so, thus squeezing other benefits, investments in productivity and new jobs." Single-payer system! male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/22/05 2:58 PM 2409 "Outrages cost after insurance has already been billed! Many items not covered. Corruption/greed within the health care filled. Outrages deductibles/co-pays, etc.." "More needs to come from the government, even if that means raising taxes a little to cover it, I would rather pay a little more taxes and have free/very low cost health care for every person, and knowing there will not be a surprise bill because the government will cover it, than to pay sometimes hundreds for a balance which insurance will not pay, etc.." Hopefully a little higher taxes. "Free or very low-cost health care for all, such as Medi-cal for all....especially those making poverty wages but still do not qualify for medi-cal because their job has insurane, however when a person makes low wages they cannot afford the co-payments, etc. the working poor need free health care." female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 3:00 PM 2410 "I think the way we pay for health care is confusing and misleading. Decent, basic care should not be a commodity, influenced by the price the market decides." "I think we need a Universal Medicare for All system, where the insurance companies no longer fight for profits, but for people's health." "Raise my taxes to pay for a healthier America. If everyone has access to decent health care, we all are healthier." NULL female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL KY 11/22/05 3:03 PM 2411 "The cost of care, especially the increasingly high cost of prescription drugs. The availability to services based on my doctor's diagnosis and assessment and not on the dictates of the insurance company. I would like to feel the assurance that my health care decisions are really and completely based on my doctor's recommendations and my choice. I greatly fear that is not currently the case in all situations. " We need universal healthcare. Multiple payor sources means many do without. It also means that payor sources dictate medical treatment. "I don't know whether the American people are willing to make any trade offs so that all can have health care. I do not think that the government or the corporate world are willing to make the necessary changes to allow for good, safe, adequate healthcare. " "Health care needs to be readily available to everyone in a timely, accessible environment where people are treated with dignity and respect, whether or not they have a job that makes it possible for them to have insurance that they can afford and actually pays for needed healthcare services. " female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL IN 11/22/05 3:03 PM 2412 "the premiums are not affordable, the costs are out of control." "other countries have ways of paying for health care , reduce the costs and find a way for government to help out more." "raise the gas tax, alcohol tax, cigarette tax etc. to pay for half of health care costs. Corporations today are too greedy, their profits are huge and their unwilling to provide health care for their staff. Corporations run the country!" "government regulation of costs , costs of health care visits and proceedures are rediculous! we need national health care for everyone! the richest nation on earth with a mult-trillon dollar economy and unaffordable health care for its people. Don't wait for Bush to do anything!" male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL VA 11/22/05 3:04 PM 2413 "The prohibitive cost of health care for middle class Americans is what concerns me most. As a person with a chronic illness, I am also concerned about losing my coverage and then being unable to obtain affordable coverage again due to my pre-existing condition." I think the government needs to take a larger role to make sure that health care is affordable and available to all. I think most Americans would be willing to pay higher taxes to cover a universal health care plan that gave affordable access to everyone. I would take a look at what some of the European nations have done with universal health care. Their systems are not perfect but I think that we can learn from what they have done and develop a system that will work for us. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL AZ 11/22/05 3:05 PM 2414 High cost. Lack of availability for many. Inefficiency. Single payor system similar to the Canadian system. "I don't know if they are willing, but they need to give up the,""any study, any treatment on demand"" idea and accept medicine baased on need." Single payer system male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL AR 11/22/05 3:05 PM 2415 cost and doesn't cover much the government should do more none force the government to help people by making sure that health ins. is reasonable and the coverage will cover all medical bills and drugs. male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/22/05 3:19 PM 2416 "I believe that the insurance companys and hospitals should be monitored and regulated, it's a shame that you pay $5.00 dollars for a tylenol, every thing is so inflated and then passed on to the consumer. I was going to pt and they put a cold compress on my neck. (the compress was a dixie cup full of tap water) I was told how to do it. Well any way the bill was sent to me in error and the insurance company had been charged $25.00 for some water in a dixie cup, but would not pay the $32.00 or whatever it was for the medicine to make me feel better, anyway I went all over my place of employement, benefits, medical telling anyone that was there, and the people that should have been concerned just looked at me and said , oh wow. Know what? You should have been reporting that, because in the end the working people pay the price." "No, because again if there were some one to monitor insurance companys and hospitals and doctors then the American people would not be over charged. I understand about the doctors cost to cover different types of policys (here we go again insurances) Yes for people that are un insured they should not have to pay the full shot. For instance, I have insurance and what my insurance does not pay that's the end of the ball game they have to take what the insurance company allows,( which is what it should cost any way)but the un insured person will get hounded to death until they are forced to committ themselves to a payment plan for the rest of their life and then pray that they dont get sick again.The playing field should be level, the middle class pays the price." We have made enough trade offs. Make heatlth care more affordable. Let's stop lining the corporate pockets. female NULL No Response Decline to answer Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/22/05 3:29 PM 2418 Lack of health care and coverage for all and the lack of uniform quality care; the waste and expense of health care YES! A national universal single-payer health care system for starters. "NO TRADE-OFFS!!! A well-managed, cost-controlled health care system can eliminate waste and save money without any decline of acceptable medicine" "A NATIONAL SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, like Medicare or a medical version of Social Security." male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL KY 11/22/05 3:38 PM 2419 The high cost of health care concerns most of all the issues in America. We should have a socialized medicine/health care in America. Not sure Socialize the health care system in this country. female NULL Yes White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/22/05 3:48 PM 2420 Employers not willing to provide coverage as a condition of employment. Anyone who employs workers must pay for insurance for the employee. All trade-offs have been forced on the American public! "A form of cost control on Doctors,Hospitals,Labs and Drugs! " male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/22/05 3:50 PM 2421 Many people not covered I favor a Single Payer System "Unreasonable benefits should not be provided. Therwise, there should be no sacrifice." Initiate a Single Payer System male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL MO 11/22/05 3:50 PM 2422 Many Americans now have no health care coverage because the cost is prohibitive or unavailable. This social safety net ought to cover all Americans. The only alternative to the current system that is leaving so many Americans uninsured is a single-payer universal health care system. "I don't think that tradeoffs have to be made. We currently pay enough to have universal health-care coverage if the private middle man was eliminated. CIGNA, for example, has an overhead of about 30% in administrative cost. We can and must do better!" I have already made it! We need a single-payer universal health care system modeled on the Canadian system but financed at the level of the French system. Put people first! male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/22/05 3:55 PM 2423 NULL NULL NULL NULL male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 3:56 PM 2424 not having affordabble health care for everyone. i think the government should pay for all health care costs. i would be willing to pay higher taxes. freeze the cost so they cant keep going up. female NULL No White Some high school No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL SD 11/22/05 4:01 PM 2427 "That psychiatric medicines and therapy are so expensive. Even with health insurance, people pay higher co-pays to see a psychiatrist than a family doctor. Without insurance, people cannot afford their medications or appointments." I'm not informed enough to answer this. But I think the government should pay for it all. I don't think Americans or anyone should have to make any trade-offs for these things. Education! Things like this site to inform people like me. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL AL 11/22/05 4:11 PM Duplicate na 2429 "Low costs for perscriptions, low copays, broad range in-network doctors" "yes, the employer should pay for the whole thing with a government subsity" less spending on wasteful government projects Low Cost male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL GA 11/22/05 4:20 PM 2430 The fact that it is health care for some and not for all I think it should be a right of every citizen and it should be paid for by the government "There should be no cost for basic care - for expensive options, individuals could have private insurance to help cover the cost or pay out of pocket." "make it universal, based on citizenship rather than employment" female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/22/05 4:24 PM 2432 no longer provide family coverage by employers. too expensive. co-pays are too high. pre exsisting conditions are not covered. prescription drugs are over priced. total socialized medicine. Higher doctor office payments in return for better drug and hospital coverage. socialized medicine. female NULL No White High school graduate or GED No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/22/05 4:25 PM 2433 "1) the only industrial country which does not provide its citizens with a national Health care! 2) Lack of the national health care is not only effecting the working class and the wage earners but also forcing the business to cut back on the employment and lay workers off, therefore affecting U.S.A.'s productivity and the competition in the world. 3) Who are the few who get the benefits of the present situation; Pharmaceutical corporations and HMO corporations and Insurance corporations? 4) Who are the losers; majority of the public, including U.S. business. " We need a national coverage with a national organization to oversee this activity. I do not hear a big corruption in the Canadian style of managing such enterprise when it is done by an honest government and a watchdog from Labor and non-profit consumer organizations to oversee. "If it can be shown that the public ends up paying less now, or paying less in the future (by cutting the bureaucracy) and getting an accessible, dependable services, with their own choice of physician (or a large degree of freedom to chose) they would go for it." "I suppose this question refers to the accessibility since the quality of the health care in U.S. is one of the best one in the world. For the accessibility, U.S. needs to implement a national program. Study Canadian or Scandinavian plans for their health cares. " female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/22/05 4:34 PM 2434 THE COST. I THINK THE GOVERNMENT SURE PAY FOR ALL HEALTH CARE. GOVERNMENT PAYS 80% AND WE PAY 20%. STOP SPENDING MONEY ON THE WAR. female NULL No Decline to answer Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL GA 11/22/05 4:38 PM 2435 The cost. Its going to be that no one will be able to get quality healthcare. "Healthcare should be available to everyone. Do not let the insurance companies and drug companies decide on what we should pay. They should not have lobbiest, or be allowed to give any type of gifts to docotes, politicians etc..." "There should be no trade off. Let the insurance and drug companies know there going to be watch, and no special favors. Also wlhen a politician leaves the office, there insurance should go, just like the working people in this country." "stop having the drug companies running the system the drug companies should not be allowed to give anything to doctors (this includes pens, dinners, trips) if doctors stop taking these incentives alot of money could be saved drug companies have to be held responsable about the prices of drugs" female 45 to 64 No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/22/05 4:39 PM Duplicate na 2436 The USA treats health care as if it were a privilege. It should be a right. "National Health as in England, France, Cuba, etc." End the war National Health care as a right for all Americans male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL IN 11/22/05 4:44 PM 2437 What it is costing in goods and services due to higher pricing passed onto the employers. Not to mention the outrageous cost of health care to begin with. "Yes. Universal, affordable health care. Make the Medical Community and the Prescription Drug companies become accountable for what they charge." Co-pays as we do now. Universal Health Care male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MI 11/22/05 4:44 PM 2438 "1) that not everyone has insurance 2) that seniors 55 - 65 are not covered if you retire early. 3) that major corporations such as Walmart, drive everyones costs up by not providing afforadable health care to their employees." I think that company's that are large should be required to provide health care to their employees. I think that medicare should have a provision that 55 and older could buy into the plan for a reasonable payment. I think the public would pay more taxes to ensure health coverage if it was an equal percentage for everyone. enact laws to stop non-union company's from not providing proper health care thereby making the rest of the people foot the bill. female NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 11/22/05 4:48 PM 2439 "Retired Seniors that are under the age of 65. I haven't had health insurance in over 5 years. I have to go to Mexico to get my prescriptions filled. I don't even go to a doctor unless I feel as if I am on my death bed, even then, I don't go through with expensive lab. work. I only get $171.00 retirement from the union and not quite $700.00 from S.S. I can't afford health care." Why not like Canada system? NULL NULL female NULL No White High school graduate or GED No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NV 11/22/05 4:52 PM 2440 That there won't be any affordable health care. This is due to Wal Mart. The biggest scum sucking pig cooperation in the world. Make Wal Mart pay its fair share. Kill off Wal Mart! Tell Congress to make Wal Mart pay its fair share. female NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL NV 11/22/05 4:55 PM 2441 the tiered medical system that allows the well to do to have health care at the expense of working class Americans. Full funded government health care. It takes the onus off business and the indvidual. "The American public at this time is not ready to make any trade offs, that is the problem. It will take a concerted effort to educate the public, especially the uninformed, that perhaps higher taxes both income and luxury goods are necessary to provide for the common welfare." "Mentioned above, concereted effort to inform and rally the public to push for federal health coverage for all." male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WI 11/22/05 4:58 PM 2442 "That I spend more on my cat's health care than employers or our government are willing to divert from tax breaks for the wealthy to taking care of our working poor, and that many people who are unable to work through no fault of their own are seen as blood suckers by many Americans." "There should be a government financed system that can avoid the pitfalls of ""managed care"" leaving incentive for good treatment." cut out the tax breaks for the wealthy and channel the money to health care. get Bush out of office. Publicize the true problems we have and the cost to the taxpayer for these unconsionable tax breaks female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/22/05 5:08 PM 2443 "price, accountability of doctors, pharmaceuticals, ins. co's, quality of care" no I believe that health care is as expensive as it is because of greed It's unfair to cut off a course of action for consumers (tort legislation) without requiring higher standards of accountability of those providing services and care. female NULL No Black or African American Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/22/05 5:10 PM 2444 "That I spend more on my cat's health care than employers or our government are willing to divert from tax breaks for the wealthy to taking care of our working poor, and that many people who are unable to work through no fault of their own are seen as blood suckers by many Americans." "There should be a government financed system that can avoid the pitfalls of ""managed care"" leaving incentive for good treatment." cut out the tax breaks for the wealthy and channel the money to health care. get Bush out of office. Publicize the true problems we have and the cost to the taxpayer for these unconsionable tax breaks female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/22/05 5:10 PM 2445 "Well, I am an experienced health care professional, 53 years old, working 2 jobs, am a family nurse practitioner, and have no health insurance, nor do my grown children." "of course, but I need a book, not a paragraph. Essentially, we need to lose the insurance paradigm as we know it and start over. As the owner, and sole practitioner of my holistic family practice for the last 8 years, and as an NP since 1983, I know what we need: catastrophic coverage for accidents and surgical/trauma needs, preventive care for all through national health care, and a non-taxed and even tax credited fee for service set-up so all can choose their providers, traditional and non-traditional, as needed." "The waste and mis-use of our health care dollars, for unnecessary meds and services, and stop-gap, band-aid medical solutions which only increase the costs, if changed, will bring in all the financing we need. " Sub-acute and chronic care with prevention services free or sliding scale for all americans. That would prevent most chronic diseases after cycling through the present already affected individuals. Prevention means teaching in a manner that works. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL DE 11/22/05 5:12 PM 2446 "That our government doesn't seem to be able to come up with a health plan for everyone. It isn't rocket science, other countries have been able to do this." "Yes, health care should be available to everyone and payment should be determined by a sliding scale according to your earnings." The sliding scale I mentioned above. Get the people out of public office that can't make this happen. female NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 5:16 PM 2447 We should have national Health care like any other western country NULL NULL NULL male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/22/05 5:16 PM 2448 The cost of medical care..and the fact that what was promised as lifetime medical at retirement is slowly being taken away from us. Yes socalized medicine so everyone is covered for medical and medicine "Boy, you got me on that one..at my age I don't have much and as it and is way to expensve." Make it affordable for all and reasonably priced for old and young female NULL No White Some high school Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/22/05 5:21 PM Duplicate na 2450 That within a few years most people won't be able to afford it. I think changes should be made that lower the cost of health care. Maybe changing some of the litigation rules so doctors and hospitals don't have enormous costs to cover liablilty. I think that stopping the flood of immigration would certainly help. "Stop covering illegals and use that money to cover Americans. Stop frivilous lawsuits, and fraud." male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CO 11/22/05 5:24 PM 2451 High cost "Government needs to make health and medical treatment available for everyone, with an emphasis on preventive medicine." Stop wars. Use a sytem similar the the one used in France. male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL IN 11/22/05 5:31 PM 2452 Health care is unafordable for most working Americans! All employers should be pay some abount for health care. Loopholes should be eliminated. Less S.S. in exchange for better health care. " Every American should have health care, not only the rich. The Federal government should set an example, and provide health care for all their employees." male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 5:38 PM 2453 "Adequate health care should be available to all Americans. Our system is atiquated and inefficient. More than 46 million Americans are uninsured, and for most Americans, their health care plans are not adequate. Also, our health care system seems to be for the benefit of corporate interests, not for individuals." "We need a single payer system, paid for by our taxes and covering all Americans equally. We need to totally change our national policy. It's time to end privatization of the system in the form of a Medicare drug plan that only benefits corporate interests, and also the for-profit medical insurance plans." "I would hope none, but I have no way of knowing, as political spin will continue to try and influence the public thinking on these questions." "Again, we need a single-payer, tax supported system which will provide adequate health care equally for all Americans. Politics needs to be taken out of the equation. If we do this, costs will go down and delivery of medical care will improve." male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/22/05 5:51 PM 2454 It is so expensive and there is no help. I have insurance that is very expensive and I have $5000 deductible because that is all I can afford. People who do not have health care are in real trouble. We should have a national health care system. Cut the 800 billion dollars we are spending destroying Iraq and put it to work in this country. A national healthy care system female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL AZ 11/22/05 5:55 PM 2455 "That many people can't afford it, including many of my friends with college degress who don't have full-time jobs with benefits." "Yes, single-payer health care--extend Medicare to everyone." I think most people would be perfectly happy with progressive taxes to support a national health care program. "We need single-payer health care, now." male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL RI 11/22/05 5:58 PM 2456 I need health insurance that doesn't discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions or any health condition that currently causes an individual to be denied health insurance. I have to work for a company that I don't want to just because I can't get insurance on the open market. "Insurance should be affordable regardless of age. The older you get, the more you have to pay. The costs should be even across the board, because eventually, everyone ages or develops health conditions that need to be treated." "Doctors need to consider the costs involved in prescribing drugs, and use the most effective drug with the least cost. Drugs companies should quit advertising their expensive drugs. We need to see that the cost of malpractise insurance is reduced, but at the same time, see that there is effective oversight on doctors, so that ones that are causing problems are not allowed to continue to cause problems. " We need to stop discriminating against the small business owners and individuals who can't get insurance. There should be no discrimination against anyone with pre-existing health conditions female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL AZ 11/22/05 6:02 PM 2457 "That without affordable health care, most Americans will loose everything they have worked their whole lives for over a sickness, that should have been taken care of by having affordable health care. Without it, people will let things go, that should be taken care of, and because they could not afford to take care of early symptoms, the problem will become a much more serious illness." "The government should do something to stop the rising healthcare costs, they can put restrictions on other things, why not healthcare industy also?" NULL "Have the government put a limit on the cost of healthcare, that is fair to all americans." female NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 11/22/05 6:27 PM 2458 NULL NULL NULL NULL female NULL Yes Decline to answer High school graduate or GED No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL NV 11/22/05 6:33 PM 2459 The number of uninsured Americans & the cost of having health insurance. Socialize it! "If we had universal coverage, as they do in Europe & other progressive countries, the only 'trade off' is prioitizing expenditure of our tax dollars" "Socialize it, but OF COURSE: DON'T use the term ""Socialized Medicine""! The insurers are the ONLY ones benefitting from our current system; and, of course, they will be THE group to keep 'universal coverage' from becoming a reality." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL GA 11/22/05 6:47 PM 2460 The rising costs of health care!! The inablity of many to pay for it. The cost burden to good employers who pay health care for employees. Also the costs stress union H&W funds. "This is a difficult question, this system is not broken but does need some checks and balances to lower the costs for all concerned parties. Having some health care for all in America would be a start." "We have already had wages frozen due to the cost of benefits, but needed our independent companies to survive against a Super Wal-Mart. Health Care or a raise, with the cost of health care you have no choice." "Get Wal-Mart to pay their fair share, it would help the government and the taxpayers" female NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MN 11/22/05 6:48 PM 2461 We pay too much for poorer health care than most industrialized countries. "We need a non profit, nationalized system of health care which is funded by our tax dollars. We also need one which is overseen adequately to prevent fraudulent billing and substandard care." "The American public doesn't matter to the congress and administration. If it did, we wouldn't have Medicare part D which is essentially a giveaway to pharmaceuticals." A centralized one system of disbursement instead of a pile of for profit insurance companies. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/22/05 6:52 PM 2462 Many people like myself have no health insurance. "It should be replaced by single-payer universal health care or medicare for everyone as they have in Canada, and as proposed by Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Rep. John Conyers." NULL NULL male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/22/05 7:13 PM 2463 runaway costs and decreasing coverage the amount of uninsured americans "a national minimal health care program such as medicare for all americans, not just the elderly, to be paid by all employers" none restrict rising cost by government controls on cost increases on care and prescriptions costs. reward good health practices and punish those who don't live a healthy lifestyle with either lower or higher costs of care male NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/22/05 7:22 PM 2464 "Not affordable, Quality of care" One payor system This is the riches country in the world we can afford health care one program to cover everyone male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 11/22/05 7:25 PM 2465 Health care only goes as far as your money. The government should pay if an individual can't. I'm not sure what you mean by trade offs. "No person should be denied health care, which includes mental health." male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL IN 11/22/05 7:34 PM 2466 The rip off of the so called medicare medical and prescription plan. Also Higher Insurance and copayments rates for less benifits. Socialized Medical and prescriptions. None. Use President Clinton's Socialized Medical Plan!!! Or model off of the plan outlined in SB 840 here in Calif. male NULL No Response Decline to answer Some college NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 7:38 PM Duplicate na 2468 THAT EVENTUALLY (AND I MEAN VERY SOON) AMERICANS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE CHOICES "EMPLOYERS, HEALTHWORKS, AND/OR UNIONS SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DEMAND AMERICANS ON CERTAIN PRESCRIPTIONS TO USE A MAIL ORDER PROGRAM IF THEY AREN'T COMFORTABLE DOING SO" "IS THIS A TRICK QUESTION?...I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE TRADE-OFFS TO BEGIN WITH... ANYWAY, RETAIL RX PRICES ARE SO INFLATED THAT AMERICANS HEALTH IS BEING TRADED" LISTEN HONESTLY TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 11/22/05 7:39 PM 2469 NO ONE CAN PAY FOR IT NOT SURE GOVERNMENT NEED TO LOWER HEALTH CARE AND NOW. NO MORE DEDUCTIBLE male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/22/05 7:49 PM 2470 Access. We need a single-payer health plan JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. "Yes, single payer health care would be funded by a different tax mix on people & employers. There are numerous good models to follow on this." "People are willing to have a higher tax burden to support health care. Single payer requires this, but also has efficiencies that lower per-capita expenditures overall as evidenced by Canada, Europe, etc." Single-payer health care to reduce administrative costs & provide cradle to grave care with less administrative overhead. male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL WI 11/22/05 7:57 PM 2471 The fact that basic healthcare is not available to everyone. "Yes. I favor the Canadian system - UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE. Everyone pays into it and we all get healthcare, but it should be run by the government - NOT by private insurance!" "Cutting the ridiculous budget that is spent on defense. Over half the budget goes on that. Also, Congress should be forced to have the same health care system as every other American. " "As above: make Congress enjoy the same health care all other Americans have and take away their special healthcare needs as they are at present. Until this happens, we will never get Universal Healthcare in America." male NULL No Decline to answer Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 8:05 PM 2472 Cannot afford good care NULL NULL NULL female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 11/22/05 8:12 PM 2473 "It is corrupt. The conflict of interest with the FDA 's 25% income (paying the salaries of their top dicision makers) coming from Monsanto, Dupont or other phamacuticles companies trying to get their food and drugs past. Also the focus is on restoritive and not preventative. The whole foundation of the medical business is fundamentally wrong. Look at europe for a good example. Especially here in Oregon, with so many alternative medicine practices and their success. " "Yes. It is a scam and everyone except the elders know this. Put the burden on the companies who profit from promoting or selling products and services that cause disease. Plenty of studies prove who is guilty, example, fast foods, cigerettes, pesticydes, pharmacuticles. Put more government money in preventative. Help our precious children give them a healthy breakfast/lunch school program. Teach a whole food diet and life time fun physical activities at school, example yoga. Teach them they are responsible for their health and not western medicine. Socrates ""Physicians heal thyself""" It is not a matter of money. People want to learn about a whole food diet. They want to go organic and learn how to afford it. They want to exersize and they are doing it. The money just needs to shift around. EDUCATION! Starting with our youth. female NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/22/05 8:14 PM 2474 The disparity in access to health care is one of the economic factors dividing our country betweeen the wealthy and everybody else. Health care should be de-linked from employment. "High cost diagnostic and intervention procedures should be rationed according to need, not ability to pay." Replace all health insurance companies with a single publicly funded and publicly accountable insurer. male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/22/05 8:21 PM 2475 "So many people without it, I know of many cases were people have paid a Dr. visit, yet they could afford the precripstions, does that make sense, and a Dr. visit could cut someones pay check in half." National health care for all. "Dont know much, but Im sure that you should'n be trading off." "Stop wasting money (billions) on senseless killing and wars were we don't belong, take care of home first, We are supposed to be the most powerful and richest country in the world, is it true?? not for our citizens, remember Katrina?????, get Bush the hell out." male NULL Yes Other Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 11/22/05 8:29 PM 2476 High cost. More of our tax dollars being spent by the government for care of American citizens' health and less tax money squandered on military misadventures like the war in Iraq. "I am disgusted by the idea that we need to make ""trade-offs"" in providing for the well-being of our own citizenry, while tax money is being funneled back to the ultra wealthy by the Bush administration's policies, billions are being thrown down a black hole in Iraq, and huge corporations are reaping the benefits of enormous government contracts, subsidies and record profits." "All Americans should be entitled to a single, unified and efficient health care system that covers the entire country. " male NULL No Response Decline to answer Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/22/05 8:36 PM 2477 "The way the Congress has ignored the problem, not only now, but for the last twenty years! We need to elect people who will work for US!" "We have paid enough money into Social Security since it began to pay for everyone's medical after we retire, if they had not taken so much out of it!" "Don't like trade-offs, if you work your whole life you should have it." 1. Change people in Congress. 2. Have more doctors from the U.S.A. male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MO 11/22/05 8:40 PM 2478 The high number of uninsured Americans. Corporate and insurance profits are more important than the health of all Americans? I DON'T THINK SO! "Institute a single payer, Canadian-style system immediately. " Slightly higher taxes...and I emphasize slightly. Money could easily be taken from the Pentagon's bloated budget to subsidize universal coverage. "Institute a single payer, Canadian-style system immediately!" male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL AZ 11/22/05 8:43 PM 2479 NULL NULL NULL NULL female NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL KY 11/22/05 8:49 PM 2480 It's getting more and more expensive and less and less effective. We should move to a single payer system based on either the Congressional or the medicare model. We could stop wasting so much money on unnecessary wars. Single Payer female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/22/05 9:05 PM 2481 "Cost,I don't do a lot of thing I should because of the cost." "Someway to make it affordable,insurance co. need to fix there proplem." "I don't think a trare off is needed, the profits insurance co. make is stupid at best." Puplic health care. male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NM 11/22/05 9:08 PM 2482 The extremly high cost of coverage put on our employers shoulders Government should provide 1/2 the cost of health care. This would make it more affordable for employers & self employed people "Making recpients responsible for a minor charge for outpatient &Doctor offfice visits. If its all free , it willbe abused & not appreciated." making health care providers be competative in thier services just as all other business must be in the real world. This would bring the most dramatic reduction in health care male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/22/05 9:23 PM 2483 that working middle class and low income can not afford health care. "yes! government should put a cap on what health care and drug companies can charge, because people have just gotten greedy!" work 3 hours a week.to pay for coverage.but no more because employer's should also bear responsibility for health care .the big ceo's line there pockets at the cost of there employee's in other words they have money to also help kick in more. put a cap on the health care industry. male NULL Yes NULL High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 9:40 PM 2484 The affordability for most Americans. Develop a system that everyone could obtain insurance through Medicare. Medicare already has a system for evaluating and paying claims. A premium system could simply be developed so that every American could obtain affordable health care. Increased taxes and/or decreased net income Use Medicare and get rid of George W. Bush as President. female NULL NULL White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL AZ 11/22/05 10:13 PM 2485 It is not affordable. There should be a single payer system as there is in Europe. "At this point, I don't think there would be any trade-offs (Using Cal. State Sen. Sheila Kuehl's current proposal as a model). The way I understand it, healthcare under her bill would be more affordable for everyone." Listen to Sheila Kuehl's research and recommendations. female NULL Yes Other Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 10:37 PM 2486 "Many thousands of American adults and children are totally without health care. Public Health professionals know that this endangers all of us, because disease among the uninsured will cause epidemics throughout our country." I think that the government should be the only provider of health insurance and that every American should be covered by this health insurance. Huge savings of monies now going to private insurers plus special taxes would pay for health care for all. "I think Americans would be willing to pay a fair and equitable tax for this benefit. Wealthy Americans, desiring elitist care, would have the option to acquire it through private payment." "Do away with our present dysfunctional system of fragmented delivery of health care services. A single payer (government) system of health care would be cost effective and provide decent, although not luxurious, health care for all." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/22/05 11:00 PM 2487 "My greatest concern is that over 45 million of my fellow Americans have NO healthcare coverage! Along with this millions have very inadequate healthcare coverage! At any given day I too could be without healthcare,due to the fact that our government protects the rights of corporations to make profit over the people's right to quality healthcare!" Rescind the tax breaks Bush gave the wealthy! Stop the war in Iraq and the waste of billions of dollars every week! "I believe that we are ready and willing to pay for adequate healthcare along with government subsidy. We have sacrificed too long with great consequencess, therefore the trade off is simple: Tax The Rich! Healthcare For All!" "The entire concept of healthcare must be reformed in order to make it a service driven issue rather than profit driven. When we accept the fact that healthcare is a right and NOT a privilege or commodity, then the needed changes in our system will occur. Just like jim crow discrimination was immoral, so whould our people's inaccessibility to healthcare! We must organize, educate and mobilize! " male NULL Yes NULL Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/22/05 11:03 PM 2488 NULL NULL I pay $5 or nothing every time I go to a doctor. I think Americans would be willing to pay more for each visit as long as the expensive treatments were covered in return for lower premiums. NULL male NULL No White NULL Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL CT 11/22/05 11:15 PM 2489 cost get rid of ins. companies none total involvement from everyone male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL KY 11/22/05 11:25 PM 2490 Doctors don't have enough time to attend to individual patients. There are far too many errors in the system. We must cut the waste the savings would finance universal health care. We must implement employe mandates. Health insurance should be condition of employment. There's no reason for trade-offs. If we cut just 40% of the current waste we could pay for coverage for all. Remove the bean counters from the process. Non-medical personnel at HMO's should not decide whether a medical procedure is warranted. male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL DC 11/22/05 11:25 PM 2491 "There are many people, especially children, who don't have adequate health care." We should explore the government plans in the rest of the developed world and try to arrive at something that provides adequate health care for all. Major changes have already taken place in health csre delivery and we're living with them. Use tax money to provide care for children. male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/22/05 11:28 PM Duplicate na 2493 I'm concerned that underprivileged people go without. Priority should shift from competition and profit to rational cooperation. I'd be willing to take some money away from our war industry to finance universal health care coverage. Nationalize it. Or else require that states provide it for their citizens and then see what system works best. male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/22/05 11:34 PM 2494 IT'S EXPENSIVE AND OF LOW QUALITY. I THINK A SOCIAL SYSTEM COMPRISED OF EVERY AMERICAN FROM THE DAY THEY'RE BORN TO THE DAY THEY DIE PAID FOR BY EVERY AMERICAN WILL NOT DENY ANYONE ADEQUATE HEALTH COVERAGE. AMERICANS ARE LITERALLY DYING FOR A LOW COST UNIVERSAL HEALTH PLAN. UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IS THE ANSWER TO AMERICA'S CURRENT HEALTH CARE DILEMMA. female NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/22/05 11:45 PM 2495 "The high cost of even the most simple kind of care. We are being goudged by these doctors as they buy their mansions, go on luxury trips, have the most expensive of everything. They get these things off the sweat of hard working people who could not even begin to have some of these things. " "We need to get health insurance seperated from employment. There was a time when it worked but it no longer does. We need single payer, universal health care. Several states have had health insurance paid thru payroll. It works." We should not have to make any trade offs. Why should we? The systems is all wrong. "A single payer, universal system." female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WI 11/23/05 12:23 AM 2496 Too many people have no health care insurance. We need Universal Health Care that makes health care a right not a privilege. "Yes, we need the Single Payer Plan like Canada has." I think we need to have a plan related to Medicare that is open to people of all ages - just as Congress has! Enact a Single Payer Plan through Federal law. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/23/05 12:31 AM 2497 That I belong to a union and don't have health benefits from Giant Eagle. This isn't fair because I lost my health benefits for the last year and half. That health care should never been taken off me because my employer couldn't afford it anymore. I can't afford to pay my own health care benefits. That people living off government programs should work for benefits and should not get hand outs. Make it affordable to all americans and everyone pay for benefits not only the workers also the ones living on government programs so than it is fair everyone pays the same for health care. female NULL No Response Decline to answer Decline to answer No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/23/05 12:38 AM 2498 All americans should have healthcare. Either provided by the goverment or their employeer if your employed your job should provide you with healthcare and pay 3/4 of the cost if all employeers had healthcare for their employees the goverment would not have to pay so much for workers without health insurance. Give the employeer a tax break with the extra money every employeer should provide and pay for 3/4 of the cost of heathcare for their employees and familys male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/23/05 12:38 AM 2499 "My greatest concern about healthcare in America today is that, because of its cost, it is unavailable to a great many Americans." I believe that America needs and deserves a single-payer healthcare system administered by the federal government. "If they knew that a single-payer healthcare syetem would eliminate health insurance premiums, copays, out-of-network charges, and inflated healthcare costs due to insurance company profit margins, I firmly believe that the American public would be more than willing to fund a single-payer healthcare system with tax dollars." My single most important recommendation to improve healthcare for all Americans is to make healthcare available to all Americans via a single-payer system. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/23/05 12:41 AM 2500 "Our health care ""system"" is completely dysfunctional! Its primary purpose seems to be to enrich the corporations that make drugs and provide medical ""care"", with little or no concern for the people whose health it is supposed to protect." "We need to go to a single payer system, such as exists in Canada. The government should be the payer and should provide health care for all Americans. The government should also have the authority to use its buying power to negotiate the best possible prices on all medicines." I don't really know. I have pretty much lost faith in the American public since they have very nearly elected George Bush president twice! Get rid of the private insurance companies providing health insurance and have universal health care with a single payer - government insurance! male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/23/05 1:06 AM 2501 I can't afford it and I have three kids. The cost goes up every year along with the price of everything else and my wages havn't risen in five years. I'm afraid to go to a doctor when I am sick because I Know that the office charges nearly double for people who are not on a plan than for people who are. There are other countries that have universal health care plans and from what I have learned these systems are quite successful. The only thing that will turn people off is that these countries take a bit more in taxes. The Idea that is worth looking into is to examine all the other plans find the things that work the best of those and use it here. We don't have to reinvent the wheel when ther's a dozen or more varieties already rolling around. If the American public is informed about how much money they will be saving from there employer provided plan where the cost is split or on the plan the individual pays for I believe an increase in taxes for a universal plan will look like a drop in the bucket. The most important thing is affordability if the plan is paid for out of taxes a little bit at a time comes out of a pay check and a lot more people are paying for it which should help to keep the costs lower. male NULL No Response Decline to answer Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/23/05 1:28 AM 2502 "My greatest concern is for people who are neither rich nor poor. We make 30 dollars a month too much to qualify for any assistance, and we are going to be in sad shape because our daughter needs another eye surgery and we have dental work that needs to get taken care of. My husband just finished his PhD and we got our first real job. Inorder to have basic dentistry we are going to have to get a loan. (Who can afford to see the dentist regularly in college - no one I know. Since we could not afford preventative measures, we are now going to have to really pay.) " ?????? I like the health savings plans as a way to work together. The hard thing is guessing how much you will need. I think they should be more flexible. I would sacrifice money if I knew it would be used wisely. I would have to feel like the system was credible - which I do not think is the case today. I would also sacrifice time and energy for the health of my children. It is just hard to see people who work the system and do nothing recieving benefits when we are working our tails off trying to move forward with the system pulling us down. Federal student health care with low cost opions for the first few years after graduation. Students will then contribute by paying taxes on good salaries for the rest of their lives. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OK 11/23/05 1:29 AM 2503 NULL NULL NULL NULL male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL CO 11/23/05 1:50 AM 2504 too expensive "get rid of the middle man, insurance companies" no need to trade off anything "if we took the billions that the insurance companies make for doing what our govt. should do, and give it to the medical establishment, we could all be taken care of. Nationalize health care. " male NULL No Response Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL HI 11/23/05 2:24 AM 2505 "It is getting too expensive. It focus more on illness care rather than wellness care. There is no effective preventative medicine program. Just waits for people to get to severe chronic or acute illness. Should expand choice in medical care to all possible modality (alopathic, naturopathic, herbal, nutritional and alternative medicine) and should all be covered by health insurance." I think the proposal for a single payer and universal health coverage should be explored seriouly. Pooling of financial resource for a collective bargaining for a cost effective medical care. We maybe willing to pay a higher tax if there are asurance that the extra tax dollars will go to a more cost effective and cheaper cost for healthcare in the long run. I think I will favor single payer program. Explore all type of healing and medical care for most cost effective method. Emphasis on wellness care/preventative medicine. It is cheaper economically to keep people healthy in the long run than treating people for diseases and illnesses. male NULL No Asian Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/23/05 7:44 AM 2506 "That it is financially out of reach for so many, and when a person has an individual policy there are so many exclusions, with a fear of being dropped at the first serious illness." " payment by individuals is so expensive, and anyone with a chronic illness or disease often times cannot even get coverage. I have friends living with HIV, and on disability, blind in one eye, paying over $800 a month. $800 a month, on disability, blind in one eye...does this not seem incomprehensible!!!!!! another firend with diabetes who had to move out of state in order to get Medicaid because he simply could not get coverage he could afford in this state." I wish I had an answer. there has got to be an answer though. NULL female NULL No White Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL GA 11/23/05 8:43 AM 2507 No one can afford to get sick. Health insurance cost more and more and provides less and less. Are you kidding? The system stinks! I'm not entirely sure. I seem to be trading off a great deal already. We must have a system similar to medicare. It is a disgrace that there are uninsured people in this country. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CT 11/23/05 8:59 AM 2508 My out of pocket exspense There should be a cap on payments for services. I understand Dr.'s have the same costs but there charges differ so much some times for the same test and sevices "I like to a health care bank. A team of Doctors, nurses and the such that has a low co-pay or limit once you spent so much." All age related test and screenings should be paid for to prevent long term or terminal illnesses female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 11/23/05 9:13 AM 2509 NULL NULL NULL NULL female NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL GA 11/23/05 9:26 AM 2510 the rising costs no n/a n/a female NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MI 11/23/05 9:53 AM 2511 The fact that so many people are uninsured "We should get rid of the employment-based health care system and have a system of universal coverage, as most other industrialized countries do." "I think most people are willing to trade the insecurity that they currently face for a more secure system, however that is comprised. " Extend Medicare to all Americans. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 11/23/05 9:55 AM 2512 "The disparity between those with insurance and those without. Also, the cost of insurance if one pays out of pocket. Due to the lack of insurance, our health care dollars are spent for tertiary care instead of preventative health care." I think the only fair and equitable way to provide insurance is a nationalized health plan. I know there are flaws in the plans in other countries; and can we not look at those systems and find a better solution for our population. "I don't know. Personally, I would be willing to pay higher taxes to know that I and other Americans would have health care." "Provide preventative health care, at a minimum." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/23/05 10:25 AM 2513 NULL NULL NULL NULL male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MO 11/23/05 10:26 AM 2514 "I want a single payor health care system, so that people don't have to struggle with not being able to affort health care." "I want a single payor health care system, so that people don't have to struggle with not being able to affort health care." "I want a single payor health care system, so that people don't have to struggle with not being able to affort health care." "I want a single payor health care system, so that people don't have to struggle with not being able to affort health care." male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/23/05 10:54 AM 2515 "My major concern is that physicians are being educated to respond to insurance company concerns and not to be competent physicians. For example, insurance companies pay 1/2 the fee for mental health diagnoses as other, yet they often take more time, so physicians are encouraged to find a physical problem to code for." "Yes, insurance should get out of the picture. People blame HMO's, but it is really insurance companies that are causing the problems and controling the way medicine develops and is practiced. Most physicians admit that they have to lie regularly to fit their diagnoses into the codes they must use to be paid. I feel that a system of employment by the government, or health subsidies to poor people and cash payments be made. Now the government is relegated to a policing function as they try to catch fraud etc. Instead the government, in conjunction with practicing physicians ( not the ivory tower types in medical schools) should set rules and satndards. Personally I think all chronic diseases should be treated by the wonderful public health system we have created and now are dismantling, with the help of consultants. " "I think most people want available compassionate care from a single phsycian when possible, not a series of physicians, NP's and PA's. People would be willing to pay for that care. I think that medical checking accounts could be established where folks would all get the same amount of money deposited each year from the government taxes and the money would grow but check could only be cashed by a clinic or physician. Folks with severe or chronic illness could be covered by a special fund which would arrange for payments beyond the standard amount. thus folks would have control over what they spent their health care dollars on." We have equated having insurance with having health care in this country. That is fallacious and needs to be corrected. Having health care is very different thatn having insurance. female NULL No Response Decline to answer Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/23/05 10:55 AM 2516 The millions in this country who have no health care just raise costs for the rest of us. Hospitals don't receive manna from heaven. "We need a national health care system; if we are such a superpower, why is this impossible?" Let's stop occupying Iraq and use that money. Cancel the tax cuts for the 1% of richest Americans and use that money for national health insurance. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL WI 11/23/05 10:59 AM Duplicate na 2518 "It's too expensive. Most people cannot afford the premiums. Like me! There's too beuracracy, too many forms to fill out." "Yes, there should be a national health care system that even the poorest can receive benefits" "I don't know. All I know is what I'm willing to do. I don't have much faith in the American people since it is they who elected George Bush for President. Not once, but TWICE!!!!!! " AFFORDABILTY. The Pharmaceutical companies are in it for profit and profit only. As a resutl the senior citizens of this country are forced to pay exhorbitant fees for prescription drugs. I blame President Bush and the Republican party for this. In my opinion they're criminals and are destroying our country. male NULL No Response Decline to answer Graduate or professional degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL SC 11/23/05 11:02 AM 2519 "I live entirely on my Social Security check. I don't have enough to pay the Medicare premiums, let alone pay for the deductable even if I could afford Medicare. I certainly can't afford the supplementary plans that are available. It seems that everyone with children who lives in Illinois is given some health insurance while the rest of us are forgotten. I am 68 years old and I know I will be likely to need medical help in the future; I'm lucky I haven't had a medical emergency before; yet there is no way for me to get the help I need. We are all American citizens. It seems to me that we should all be cared for, particularly as the government and the Fed closely control the economy with the use of high interest rates to prevent inflation, wrecking the job market and making it virtually impossible to get a decent job." "I don't think health care should be furnished by employers. Some of them don't furnish it at all and some do not provide the quality care that is needed. Every American should have equal access to health care; this is a necessity, not a luxury. Individual payment works fine if you can afford it, but most people can't, particularly now that people are living longer and some are living with medical conditions that require constant treatment. The government should provide a uniform system of health care benefits that would guarantee that all of us would have the care we need. All the other developed countries do it, and we should too. In addition, our medical costs are too high. The government should investigate profiteering and put an end to it. This should have happened long ago." "I think the American people have been required to make far too many sacrifices so thtat the government could establish their New America. When I was younger I paid extremely high taxes as I made a good salary. The government has the money to provide for us now. It's strictly a matter of priorities. If they spent as much money on running this country as they do in meddling in foreign affairs, there would be no problem. I'm at the end of my patience with this. We shouldn't have to give up any more to obtain what we need and what the other developed countries provide for their people." "I feel the government should do more, which wouldn't be hard considering how little it does do, to control health care costs and to establish a fair and equitable health care system." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/23/05 11:16 AM 2520 "There are many people with chronic health issues for whom Medicare/Medicaid does not work. They have too much income to qualify for help, but way too little to afford the medications they need. The cost of the medication is not taken into consideration when the math is done." See above. The cost of an individual's care should be taken into consideration when their payment for medication and treatment is calculated. An individual with a monthly income of $1100 cannot afford to pay $800 for medications and still have housing and food to live on. I have no idea. I would be willing to pay more so that my friends with chronic conditions could live real lives! Take the true cost of necessary medication and treatments into consideration when charging individuals - not just the income they have. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/23/05 11:17 AM 2522 lack of it for my kids. make it like social security. everyone pays into it. let's vote on that. let's see what the majority thinks. slightly higher taxes. get the masses to care. which I don't think the voting super majority does. male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/23/05 12:07 PM 2523 "That It's so expersive, and that over 45 milliion americans do not have it becuase, it's so expensive." "I think that there should be a national health care system, where you sign up for it, with it comes a .3% tax increse for those who sign up for it. With that you get all benfits including free prescription, dental, surgry, anything you want." "I think that the public is more well of to trade in the benifts, becuase they want just the basics for the low cost." The National subsized health care system male NULL No Other Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 11/23/05 12:09 PM 2524 "My husband has cancer. We wait and wait for test to be scheduled. Repeat test because they were not performed correctly the first time and in a timely manner. Sometimes, time is critical in treating certain cancers. " "Unfortunately, I am laid off and my husband went on disability. Now we have to pay for Cobra. This takes two of his pays per month. I think Cobra should be prepaided prior to needing it. I am not sure how but, why does a person who is sick have to worry about more than their usual bills let alone knowing you have no choice about keeping Cobra because who would be paying for the Chemo, Radiation, Surgeries, pathology, Pharmacy medications, radiologist, anesthesologist, labs, outpatient and inpatient testing,hospital stays and the bandaide that you may need." Why should we trade-off when we are the wealthest County in the world. Put a fire under someone's buttocks!!!!! "Good quality care from, not only the physican's, but also the nurses. We have the technology, but we need to remember that we are treating people and there should always be compassion and concern for the patient first " female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 11/23/05 12:25 PM 2525 "The high costs that make it unafordable for some, creates an undo financial burden on businesses that still provide it for their employees,and the fact that for older Americans on a fixed income it unfairly deminishes their ability to enjoy their retirement." "Yea, simple,a single payer plan, nothing more, nothing less." the politicians who think we should make trade offs. Americans deserve health care coverage without comprise in quality or availability Guarantee health care to all Americans male NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/23/05 12:26 PM 2526 There are to many unisured Americans and the current system is financial screwed up. Extend Medicare to all Americans! Employer/Individual payment system makes no sense and does not work. Government should extend Medicare to all Americans. Americans would pay more taxes if there were universal healthcare. Extend Medicare to all Americans male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/23/05 12:28 PM 2527 Lack of. Absolutely. "No American should be asked to make ""trade-offs"" for Healthcare related services." National Healthcare. It works for Canada. It works for the UK. female NULL No Response Decline to answer Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/23/05 12:30 PM 2528 "Lack of access for all. The connection to employment causes great problems for all, especially children and our disabled citizens." The currnet system doesn't work. It is very expensive and fails many citizens. The money spent is excessive for the services recieved. Use the same money and create a system that serves all. "I don't think they have to give up much. Those that have to give up something are the profit making corperations, the profit in the system is the problem. " Make a simple single payer system that is a right for all and is integrated into neighborhoods and everyone has access to basic health. Focus on prevention and access. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/23/05 12:42 PM Duplicate na 2530 NULL NULL NULL NULL male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/23/05 12:50 PM 2531 Too many people are not covered.. "A sensible, affordable system available to all.." Most would not mind paying a reasonable portion of the bill.. maybe based on income.. "It needs to be available and affordable to all who apply.. and most especially, to children.." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL IA 11/23/05 1:06 PM 2532 "Good quality healthcare is unavailable to many people; especially, the working poor. With healthcare tied to employment, loss of employment means the loss of coverage at time when it is most needed. Tied to employment, healthcare concerns trap people in unsatisfactory jobs and leads to discrimination in hiring of elders and people with medical needs that would not otherwise prevent them from working. Providing healtcare coverage is a cost that small businesses cannot afford to offer, leaving many people without coverage." The entire system needs to converted to a single payer (i.e. government) system that cannot be taken away. Single payer is the most efficient system for delivering healthcare to the maximum number of people. Many Americans would be happy just to have healthcare even if it limits choice of doctors and requires a waiting period for noncritical services. Single payer would be more affordable and need not entire any of these concerns. Single payer (i.e. government) with an emphasis on preventative care including alternative medicine. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL AZ 11/23/05 1:37 PM 2533 high cost government supplied health care sending billions of dollars over seas make it government responsibility male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/23/05 1:57 PM 2534 "The cost of healthcare, from insurance to doctors and hospitals, is so prohibitive. Why should health care professionals be allowed to earn up to 500% of the average wage for all workers? Why should insurance companies be allowed to deny insurance to those who can't afford it, but need it worst of all? Why should the pharmaceutical drug companies be allowed to be so profitable that they make even more than the health care professionals do?" "A national health care system could be funded with tax dollars. And with cuts in other, unnecessary, programs a tax increase would be very low or unnecessary." I would be willing to pay additional taxes to provide health care to others. Provide affordable health care to everyone. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/23/05 2:51 PM 2535 Too many americans are under or un-insured-- including full-time working members of my family. "We should have single payer healthcare. It should be paid by the government, offset by taxes paid by employers." "None. They shouldn't need to. I would say choice, but I currenlty have little choice about who I see under my health insurance." Provide healthcare for all Americans. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/23/05 3:15 PM 2536 Its high cost; also that millions have no health care. "I do not want to see a system like the one on Canada; however, I think everyone should be guaranteed basic coverage (especially for preventive care)." I don't know--I think Americans at the moment are confused about the issue. "Require all companies over a certain size to offer reasonable health care inurance to their employees. If Wal-Mart and other large companies can get low prices from suppliers of their products, why can't'don't they use their size to get good prices on health insurance?" male NULL No Decline to answer Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/23/05 3:25 PM 2537 "afforability,getting the coverage you need,being accepted for coverage" nation wide coverage for any one that wants the policy none "coverage for hearing aidsin medicare,coverage for glasses in medicare" male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/23/05 4:04 PM 2538 can't afford it cost keep going up yes every company should get insurance on there employee. the goverment need a law so not one company is fitting the bill NULL well the drug company should only be able to charge so much and docter should have a set fee if every one have to charge the same amount it will stop the ones that is docter charging insurance company more then they do a person with out insurance female NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 11/23/05 5:32 PM 2539 The fact that so many people in this country do not have access through either their job or income to have a decent health care system. Health care should not be a luxury it should be a given. Health care should be free. This country should be ashamed of itself. Make it accessible and affordable to all citizens of this country. I think that most people would be willing to trade off some element of their financial situation in order that have some form of health care. Make it free. Medicine should not be a business. female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/23/05 5:43 PM 2540 protecting u.s. borders first end war NULL NULL male NULL NULL White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/23/05 6:42 PM 2541 Not available to all. I'd like to see the health care that congress gets offered to all to be paid for by us all on a scale dictated by means testing. "How can we even think about ""trade-offs"" involving health care. We all need it, the rich, the poor, the tall, the short ... all of us. I'll be it will turn out to be cheaper on us than the way we're doing it now." Bring back the Public Health Service and use the Congressional health plan as a model. female NULL No Response Decline to answer Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL NM 11/23/05 6:47 PM 2542 Costs -- I make a little above minimum wage and cannot afford to go the doctor or have the medications I should be taking. Something shoild be done to help those of us who fall through the cracks. I don't know. Most people who have heath insurance I know are always grousing about what they have to pay. That the Federal government should really ccare about the little people. It's so easy to forget about those who have no health insurance when yours is paid for the rest of your life by tax-payers. female NULL NULL White Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 11/23/05 7:22 PM 2543 the high cost of coverage I think socialised health care like they have in canada is far better than what we have here NULL provide healthcare to all americans male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/23/05 8:03 PM 2544 NULL NULL NULL NULL male NULL No White High school graduate or GED No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/23/05 8:11 PM 2545 The cost is out of control both for corporations trying to compete globally with most companies in countries that have universal coverage and to individuals that have seen their premiums grow to unsustainable amounts. "I think many people would rather have a single payer system if they were given honest, accurate information and not distortions supplied by insurance and healthcare corporations afraid of losing their pot-of gold. " I think the cost would probably be less in a single payer system if the layers of bureaucracy and paperwork were removed from the current system. The only problem might possibly be longer waits for elective surgery. A single payer universal system that includes everyone. Please see www.commonsensehealthplan.org for such a plan if you are not familiar with it. male NULL No White Some high school Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL GA 11/23/05 8:47 PM 2546 High cost of care and medical insurance. Unchecked authority of doctors. Disregard of non-autocratic medical models. Solutions via drugs and surgical procedures vs. prevention and healthy lifestyles Take all the tax $ used toward making wars and create national health care. "If the health care system is truly of ""high quality"" I believe Americans would be agreable to a tax increase, which would replace insurance payments,privately and corporately" "Health education, beginning with demystifing fear of birth." female NULL No Response Decline to answer Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MI 11/23/05 8:57 PM Duplicate na 2548 availability and affordability for all people health care should be universal and provided by a single payer "decrease other items in the federal budget, such as tax cuts for the rich and/or bloated military monstrosities such as ""missile defense shields""" recognition that health care is a basic human right female NULL No Response Other Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/23/05 10:17 PM 2549 "Why is it going up up up, when our real take home pay keep going down ? Our jobs go to Asia and the people in goverment (both parties do NOT care) these people own huge blocks of stock in these companies and just care about Huge profits, CEO that cook the books to cash in on huge bottom line numbers and short term high bottom line numbers, big bonus and bankrupted companies, or at least under funded pension funds and health care funds. Which SHOULD BE FULLY FUNDED AS YOU GO!!!!!! Not when they are payable NO company (NOT GM, NOT FORD, NOT the U.s. GOV) can wait until these funds are payable and long term make it work!! Companies and gov. MUST fund these fund on a future needs basis. These companies MUST be made to live up to there agreements with unions and employs and Not be able to bank rupt out and leave employs hanging with NOTHING (and the goverment can not pay all the pensions and health care costs for employees. These companies are dumping there responsibilities on the goverment and we all suffer, except the CEO's and board of directers. IT MUST BE STOPPED sooner not later." see above. "The middle and low income have already been traded off( written off, egnored and totally forgotten about) for HIGHER SALARIES FOR THE TOP OFFICERS of big busness and there stock holders!! That includes the health care companies ( drug companies, Big hospitals who seem to be more interested in getting larger and having the latest and most expenssive before any other hospital in the area, maybe all the hospitals in an area could work togather and share most of this very expensive equippment that is not used constantly!!............No that woudn't do that would be toooooo cost affective and wouldn't give some Chairman or board of directers something to grag about ( curing the sick is not good enough to grag about.....especially if they could do it at a reasonable cost ) And why would they want to SAVE US ALL money and more emportly it might save some companies and even just maybe a life or two along the way.....Oh!! I forgot this is all about BIG , BIGGER and BIGEST" "I think on one thing is going to do very much to fix that that is sooo broken, but I think some of the answers may be above in the answers to those questions............One thing did not get us here..one thing is NOT going to get us out of it." male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 11/23/05 10:51 PM 2550 I am concerned that only the wealthy will receive expert health care and others will have only minimual care. "I believe that it is the RIGHT of every individual to receive the best health care possible, and we as a country should be able to find a way to make this happen." Why would we need to make trade offs? NULL female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/23/05 11:12 PM 2551 "The high cost of care, office visits, prescriptions, etc. Due the sudden rise in health care costs, my retirement has been cut a third just to pay for the premiums, and the high rate of co pay and drugs cut into what little we receive to live on. I am over 70 and have to work to keep our head above water." "I really don't know, just if it could be a fair contribution by each party and affordable to everyone." Cut the high awards and law suits for stupid reasons of mal practice. Make the drug companies lower their prices to a fair level and quit gouging the customers. So Doctors and hospitals can cut their costs. Keep wages for all workers at a fair rate of pay to keep up with the economy Stop lawyers from huge profits & cut drug company huge profits. male NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/23/05 11:43 PM 2552 Cost of medical treatment and drugs. The government needs to pay for medical services and a cap on cost should be done for allservices. The billions of dollars to foreign aid and the money used for unnecessary war should be put in the medical fund for American citizens. Illegal immigrants should not be allowed to drain the medical services. A national health care program should be made to take care of American citizens. The cost should be a very low fee. male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL MO 11/23/05 11:51 PM 2555 "Its cost, inaccessibility to low-paid workers, the proliferation of high tech expensive treatment that becomes the ""norm"", absence of proven alternative treatment in health insurance coverages, drug companies' excessive profits." "One payer, universal health coverage. The government COULD do this right." "Speaking for myself, I would gladly redirect all my tax money being spent on ""homeland security"" & maintaining overseas military invasion forces into the effort to ensure this access for all. If a rise in taxes were also necessary to fund it, I would match with my taxes any gov't income from taxing unhealthy consumer behaviors (cigarette tax is an example). " Start legislating as if all US citizens have a RIGHT to quality health care from the moment they are born until they sign a DNR order (palliative care only). female 45 to 64 No Response White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/24/05 3:26 AM Duplicate na 2556 "cost, pharmaceutical gouging, lack of coverage by medicare for items such as wheelchairs ect... Just about everything" Nationalized health care. The World Health Organization rated our healthcare at 35th or 36th among other nations. We rank below Costa Rica. Yet we pay almost twice as much as any other industrialized nation. Instead of privatizing we should be nationalizing like our neighbors to the north who seem to be doing much better in general. "Almost everyone I know wants single-payer healthcare. The corporations, the rich and the powerful and the nationally covered government representatives are the largest group against this. General Motors used health-care and pensions to lay off 30,000 workers. National healthcare levels the playing field for everyone except private insurers and the pharmaceutical companies. Any idiot cans see single payer is better than what we have now - unless the idiot is lining their pockets on other people's misfortune and desperation!" SINGLE PAYER NATIONALIZED HEALTHCARE LIKE EVERY OTHER ADVANCED INDUSTRIALIZED NATION!!!!!! male NULL No Response Decline to answer Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/24/05 6:31 AM 2557 NULL NULL NULL NULL male NULL No White Some high school Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL AL 11/24/05 8:40 AM 2558 NULL NULL NULL NULL male NULL No White Some high school Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL AL 11/24/05 8:42 AM 2559 "As a professional Realtor for over 20 years, I know firsthand what it is like to not have access to health insurance at all - - and what it is like to have access to insurance with costs as high as $700 per month, with almost Zero coverage. Many good, caring agents leave the field, and certainly leave other careers, simply because they or their family need insurance. This actually hurts our economy and hurts other Americans - taking good caring people out of certain businesses." "Perhaps there could be caps on premium costs for healthy individuals. Perhaps if you make claims, then your monthly costs could go up, accordingly." "Interesting question, but at this point in our country's history, I don't think health care can be about trade-offs. For instance, I would not be willing to give up my excellent doctors in order to get coverage with JUST ANY DOCTOR, just to have some assistance with insurance in case of a terrible illness or emergency." "I just heard a ""horrific"" story two weeks ago, as a phlebotomist drew a blood sample from me. We were discussing health care, and the insurance crisis. I mentioned that I had had no health coverage for at least 15 years of my life, and just worked and worked to make enough money to cover any medical needs. Instead of commiserating, she said, ""Don't you know the government will give you money for tests and meds, and all you have to do is apply, and tell them you don't make enough money."" She then told me she had done this for years, while being gainfully employed. I was appalled. THIS is what the ""trade-off"" needs to be. Policing the current and future systems so that deserving people can obtain coverage, and not just giving coverage to anyone who ""beats the system"" and asks for it. This was the most shocking story I've been told in a long time. I had no coverage for years, yet thru my taxes was, and still probably am, paying for government assistance for people who are not truly needy. " female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/24/05 9:13 AM 2560 Quality Availability Cost Single-payer gov't pre-pac meds to bypass expensive pharmacists use more nurse-practioners for primary care get rid of ccurrent medicare drug plan allow states to band together to deal for drug costs "Improve GM, and Ford and others ability to compete with foreign manufacturers" Substitute cheap bureaucrats for expensive CEOs male NULL No Response Decline to answer Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CO 11/24/05 10:20 AM 2561 The rising costs and my non rising pay rate. Let the government take over. NULL Health care for all. male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MI 11/24/05 11:06 AM 2562 "Health care is no longer affordable. Preventative medicene is not available to most people, even those who have insurance." I believe that there should be a single-payer system like there is in Canada and U. K. I don't think there should be any trade-offs. Health care is a right. Go to a single-payer system. male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/24/05 11:46 AM 2563 lack of affordable health care Single Payer insurance NULL Single Payer insurance male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/24/05 12:23 PM 2564 "The average family cannot afford ""Family plan"" health care after paying for absolute essentials; shelter, utilities food, etc. Co-pays are too high. Federal government should protect its citizens by more aggressively regulating Pharmaceutical companies' profiteering. There is no excuse for 30 pills of any type costing up to $300.00 or more! " "I believe we should have a national health care plan which is federalized and the cost of health care, shared by all tax paying Americans. We're paying a couple of million dollars a day to prosecute an illegal and immoral war in Iraq. It's as if that's acceptable, but socialized medicine isn't." "Cease the current imperialist aggression against sovereign nations and institute a socialized, national health care program." "Socialization of health care. All working americans pay federal taxes. Our money would be better spent in providing health care and preventive medicine , rather than waging war on other nations, under false pretenses." male NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OK 11/24/05 1:55 PM 2565 "that millions of Americans, children and adults, don't have health insurance and do not see a doctor because they can't afford to do so and many of those die because of it. " "yes, payment for health ins. should be paid by the people of this great country by ccentralization and taxation. That way everyone pays according to their Income rich pay more poor pay less." The elimination of corporate welfare totaly and To double the Income taxes on companies that move offshore and outsource American jobs to other countries. Centralized health care paid for through Income taxes is the only fair solution. male NULL No White High school graduate or GED No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/24/05 3:12 PM Duplicate na 2567 High cost; availability; coverage for retired persons. Have a basic catastrophic plan avaiable to all people; universal. But keep the current plans too. A basic health care tax only used to cover the the basic plan. Try the President Clinton plan of health care used by some European countries and Canada! male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/24/05 3:50 PM 2568 The poor are sacrificed for the lack of taxation of the rich Pay doctors for keeping us well instead of the doctors getting payoffs from the pharmicital industry to keep us sick I don't think there is a need for trade offs if the doctors are paid for keeping us well and drugs are used @ the minimum and costs are low for these neede drugs stop the greed of both drug companies and doctors...(stop the greed of American companies period...HOW???? female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL CO 11/24/05 4:07 PM Duplicate na Duplicate na 2571 the doctors should be paid for having well patients instead of getting richer on illness that the greedy drug companies cause. The poor need help from the rich and this could be done by having he rich pay their fair share! paying doctors for having well patients. there does not need to be tradeoffs IF we had well folk and the greed was iliminated. Tax the rich their fair share female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL CO 11/24/05 5:32 PM 2572 "It's unavailable to those who need it the most and, even if available, the cost puts it out of reach to most families." "Absolutely. Health care should not be tied to employment. We need one source health care similar to Medicare available to everybody at reasonable prices. We need a massive education effort on the effect of life style on our health. More emphasis on preventative care. Our mouths are part of our total bodies, so why is dental care excluded in most policies?" I don't think there would be any negative trade-offs. People would be healthier & economic productivity in general would be improved. It's cheaper to to cure a health issue in the beginning than to treat it for free in an emergency room. Our current health statistics makes us look like a 3rd world country - for shame. Most of our early deaths are due to chronic conditions easily treatable at an early stage. The profits earned by insurance companies would disappear lowering total costs - this is not a field they should be in. Most hospitals would be non-profit institutions similar to educational facilities. "See answer to question #2 - one source health care. If the transition to covering everybody is too financially overwhelming, let's phase it in with maternal care and kids to age 21." female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/24/05 6:06 PM 2573 The cost. And will health be there only for the rich. A national health care system much like canada. More government control. A single payer system. A single payer system. male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL ND 11/24/05 6:40 PM 2574 it's that people aren't getting the health care that they need.you could work almost all of your life and still not have enough insurance to pay your medical bills i could'nt begin to think of a start war stop paying so much money to the top guys female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL MD 11/24/05 8:08 PM 2575 That it's unaffordable to many and that the private insurance programs are inefficient and don't cover people enough. I also oppose the GOP's actions to prevent a universal system. "Make it universal, and then not only is everyone covered, but it's cheaper than the current system. It would also help to protect american jobs, as many companies cannot keep up with increased premiums. " "There is a small possibility of slightly higher taxes, but that can be more than offset by reducing corporate welfare and unnecessary military expenditures. " Creating an environment of understanding that would make a universal coverage desireable to the public and countering the propaganda of the far right Republicans. male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/24/05 10:04 PM 2576 HOW do people GO to CHURCH without KNOWING that they are against serving GOD's commands when these health cut-backs GO against GOD's TEACHINGS that CLEARLY demand that we help the poor & sick among us!! "SIMPLE & EASY: WITHOUT causing ANY socialism or communism: JUST allow SLIDING SCALE payments that work EXACTLY like our TAXES... since TAXES work according to your income, WHY not make HEALTHCARE services (at least most of them) work the same WAY?" "Your QUESTION sthoots us in the foot: Why? Because we're the richest Nation in WORLD History & if HOMELAND Security can spend Billions to protect us (yep, read WIRED magazine article this month for the money/stats) then ASK: if security saves lives, DOESN't Healthcare SAVE lives? It's a NO-Brainer!" "We now have 30 years of debt due to Iraq war, while not spending on SAVING American LIVES in HOMELAND-Healthcare; it's because our politicians create War-debt thru FEAR whereas HEALTHCARE saves lives HERE and NOW... is America too fearful to be brave yet healthy (the media skews the debate since high paid journalists don't have to suffer without healthcare, so why don't we make them answer THAT question??)" male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL LA 11/24/05 10:04 PM 2577 " As a nation we're spending so much on health care, but only those lucky enough to be employed or work for government have affordable health care. It is wasteful and inefficient and a shame that we allow a system that is so ineffectual." Get rid of the whole Insurance industry - too much paperwork and it's main purpose is designed to limit the amount of coverage provided. "A basic health policy including drug coverage should be available to all with emphasis on prevention, check-ups, etc. Get out of the Emergency Room system of waiting until there is a health crisis. Other expensive and more 'elective' procedures would be available for a higher premium etc." "As above a ""basic health policy including drug coverage"" available for all people residing in the US." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/24/05 10:56 PM 2578 being able to afford "the worker shouldn't have to pay for the coverage to the employee. I can understand the dependent coverage might need to be subsidized by the worker to a small degree. but health care in general should be a benefit! Even when full coverage is given by the employer, the employee still has out of pocket on an 80/20 type of plan and the pharmicutal is still a co-pay situtation." helping to pay the coverage expenses for dependents I whis I knew female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/24/05 11:14 PM 2579 Its To High. Penalize Greedy Doctors. "If We Had 24 Hour Clinics Avalible, We Wouldnt Have To End Up In The hospital Emergency Room In The Middle Of The Night." "Need More Walk In Clinics, Have Nurses Make Minor Decisions On Diognosis And Treat Patients." male NULL Yes Other High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/24/05 11:59 PM 2580 cost increase employers with high profit margins should pick up more cost. none stop government spending in other countries and fix our health care problems. male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/25/05 12:15 AM 2581 "QUALITY, SHORTER STAYS IN HOSPITAL, HIGH COSTS" GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE ONLY HIGHER TAXES TO REGULATE WHAT PHARMACUTICALS CHARGE female NULL No American Indian or Alaska Native Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 11/25/05 2:35 AM 2582 "Access and cost. Healthcare is not a business and should not be a source of ""bottom line"" production and the rules and rich rewards that go with that. The Declaration of Independence indicates that on moral grounds,all men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights including ""life""........etc. Healthcare is not like buying a product, it is about life and death. " "Unplug from the employer conduit,create funding pools that everyone, pays a percentage into based on realistic affordability. A national pool, a state pool and a budget pool based on your own health and age.The larger pools would subsidize the unexpected and/or changes in a person's affordability /if their health changed." "Learning to manage a budget,knowing the status of their own health, working on lifestyle issues to create wellness. No tradeoff needs to be made on quality or access using the above model." "Unplug Wall street from the practice of medicine and insurance completely. Create value thresholds for research, new equipment and rx. Put doctors on a salary.Then based on those costs, determine the cost of the care that the 20% who are the high utilizers need and set a budget funded by pools as described above. Then incorporate in any existing programs for children, disabled, veterans, and the elderly that exist today. " female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/25/05 3:07 AM 2583 "health care is a basic human right. in a so called civilized society health care should be provided for all citizens and all visitors. the united states has abundant resources, ingenuity, and compassion to make universal health care a reality. what lacks is political will. if we truly live in a republic which honors democratic priciples, we must let our representatives in government know that it is time to convert to a single payor streamline system of health care for all." see above the medicare model has a track record of providing high quality basic health care. Lets use this model. convert to single payor system. Stop being held hostage to the insurance and pharmacutical industry. female NULL No Decline to answer Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/25/05 3:08 AM 2584 Affordability Large corporations should handle more of the cost. In this country there should not have to be a trade off. One central system of health care for everyone male NULL No Black or African American High school graduate or GED No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WV 11/25/05 3:29 AM 2585 "Its high cost, directly related to profiteering by health care businesses and insurers alike, resulting in both low quality and unavailability of health care for many Americans. " "Yes. Single payor healthcare, NOW! Combined with aggressive investigation and prosecution of health care fraud. " "First, corporations should be taxed to provide universal health care. Lack of universal healthcare, and the need for large corporations to pay hefty premiums for employees, is a competitive disadvantage for American business, and American business should pony up some cash in exchange for having this burden lifted. Single payor healthcare would be much more cost-effective, and it is possible that it could be funded completely in this fashion without undue burden either on American businesses, which are largely undertaxed anyway, or individual taxpayers. " "Single payor, universal healthcare NOW! You can't improve healthcare for all Americans unless all Americans have access to it. " male NULL No Response Decline to answer Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NM 11/25/05 7:25 AM 2586 "It is the most expensive ""system"" in the deceloped world and yet it is not effective. There is not enough attention paid to precention and too much paid to expensive rescue." "I don't know what will work. I think there need to be more uniform atandards and practices. Perhaps, it's not about how much money is being spent but how many layers of confusion there are." "Perhaps if there were tiers of care it could work better. One tier could be for healthy folks and for basic, preventive care. Another could be for folks with chronic illnesses and a third could be for people with health crises. Each tier might be organized around the best care structure first and then financed accordingly. People with more illness might not pay more, but their care would be better organized and targeted." Integrated standards across all caregiving systems with a priority on prevention. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/25/05 7:33 AM 2587 "I'm reaching the age of retirement ,if i retire at 62,then there is no insurance to protect me until i reach age 65. unless i pay a big payment each month .this is my concern ,i can't afford to pay a huge amount for insurance on what i draw from SS,it's either keep on working or go without insurance,is there anykind of affordable insurance out there that can afford?" "what is wrong with the goverment paying our health care ,some other countries have it, why can't we?" i think america should take care of it's own before we send all our money to other countries over all care for all female NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/25/05 10:00 AM 2588 The lack for it for an increasing number of Americans. Have a single-payer plan. "Probably not much. They will complain about long waits, for example." Single-payer gov't supported plan. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/25/05 10:48 AM 2589 "It costs too much, and is not available to everyone. As a health care provider, it is absolutely crazy-making keeping track of who requires what documentation (and I don't have to deal with billing!)." single-payer system that covers the entire country and everyone in it "prioritize basic services, like well child care, first and then add only the things that we can afford to fund in descending priority until the money runs out " make basic services available to everyone in one system female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WI 11/25/05 11:04 AM 2590 How the Cost of Health Care is Rising. Health Care Should be Free of Charge. "Honestly if The Public gave a Crap, they would have done something already." "If the Goverment Employees Can get Free Health Care, then why not make it for All United States Citizens. Free Health Care For All U.S.A. Citizens. I bet you more people would become citizens then. " male NULL No White Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL GA 11/25/05 11:19 AM 2591 prescrition and health costs going out of site everyone should have a basic and anyone thats wants the better ones should pay the difference on the better plans. The government employees and teachers and everyone should be in all one plan with the costs going up so fast their can't be any trade offs. they should freeze all health costs afortable health insurance for all americans male NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/25/05 4:57 PM 2592 "That it is not a universal, single payer system for everyone.. A huge percentage of what we pay must go to HMO's, all have different rates, physicians must employ someone just to deal with the paper work, and fight to get treatment covered." "Health care should not be tied to employment. The health of our society depends on everyone being covered, no matter where they work or live." "If people really understood the system is collapsing, & that universal care costs less than the huge profits of HMO's, pharmacies & insurance. We have to work to make this known." "We get rid of escalating costs where shareholders expect ever rising returns, and all money goes into health care, not profits." female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/25/05 6:46 PM Duplicate na 2594 "The high costs, the inequalities of available healthcare, that people who have preexisting ailments like high blood pressure or depression have a hard time getting coverage, that huge profitable corporations like Walmart don't give affordable coverage to their employees, and Insurance administration is wasting Billions of dollars as is excessive profits made by Pharmacuetical corporations." "SINGLE PAYER UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE! Just like Canada, Australia and every Western European country has! Or as Dennis Kucinich calls it ""enhanced Medicare"". The Insurance industry wastes 18% in administrative costs while Medicare only costs 3% in administrative costs! http://www.kucinich.us/issues/universalhealth.php" We do not need to permanently Occupy Iraq or have over 750 military bases outside U.S. borders-that would save hundreds of Billions of dollars. The excessive tax cuts on investments that primarily benefits the richest 2% of Americans should return to the Clinton-years rates. In addition Billions would be saved by eliminating for profit HMOs and Health Insurance Company administrative costs. "SINGLE PAYER UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE! NOT compromise plans that still leave out 40%, 30%,20% or 10% of Americans and keep the Insurance and Pharmacuetical Corporations and their lobbyists happy!" male 45 to 64 No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/25/05 7:26 PM Duplicate na 2595 The HMO executives and stockholder profits at the expense of patient care and provider reimbursements. NULL "Higher incomes individuals would be willing to pay more as long as the system is perceived as fair and does not soak the rich. Only preventative medicine and primary medical care are essential. Alternative medicine, dental, and vision are secondary for coverage. Elective procedures/surgery would never be covered. " "Eliminate the for-profit element in the health care decision making. HMO's add nothing to our health care quality, yet take considerable money out of the system that could be used by patients and providers. " female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 11/25/05 8:25 PM 2596 That the average working American can not afford health care. "The ""system"" needs to be disected in every way. All Americans should be able to receive quality care at an affordable price." I am not sure that the American public should be willinig to make any trade-offs for health care. I believe that asking the average American who needs to receive the care what improvements are needed in order to make health care obtainable for all working Americans. female NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/25/05 10:10 PM 2597 NULL I think we should go to a single payer system not unlike Canada's the only tradeoff might be delayed proceedures of dubuous worth like a tummy tuck or a cosmetic nose job reduce administration cost by going to a single payer. the cost of administration are estamated to go down from 20% now in many cases to maybe 4% or so similar to the costs of administering Social Security male NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IA 11/25/05 11:16 PM 2598 "It is expensive, inefficient and not universally available; it is bad for patients and providers." "We need a single payer, not-for-profit system that is available to all." "We don't need to make any trade-offs. We are already making trade-offs (too expensive, too inefficient, frustrating for both health care workers and patients) for a system that does not work. We are paying for quality care and not getting it. The money goes to private profit. Health care is a public right, not a private luxury." "Set up a universal single-payer not-for-profit system, as good or better than some of the better models on the planet (New Zealand, Canada, Germany, UK, to name a few.)" female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/26/05 12:12 AM 2599 It is very unaffordable. Health care is going to ruin us all. The majorty of use will end up on welfare or in the poor house! Does our Government even care one bit about it's American People? NULL NULL "make it affordable for everyone, and give a break a big break to our elderly citizens." female NULL No Response Decline to answer Decline to answer Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/26/05 1:33 AM 2600 "The cost of health care keeps rising and as it seems more and more people are getting sick with serious illness. Medical care is focus on disease care instead of wellness care (preventaive medicine). Medical care should include all health care modality (i.e. herbal, naturopathic, alternative medicine, chiropathic)and payed by insurance." "The proposal for a single payer program should be explored. A pooling of funds and a collective bargain for the most effecient and cost effective rate for insurance, medical and drug prices. " We maybe willing to pay a higher taxes set up a single payer health care program. Spend time for preventative (wellness) medical education program. "A change in focus to wellness care instead of disease care health care programs. Mainstream medicine seems focus on waiting for people to develop some serious, acute and very costly illness. "" An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."" Medical care should include all modality mainstream as well as natural & alternative methods. Finding the most effecient and cost effective health/medical method instead of a monopoly by one." male NULL No Asian Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/26/05 7:16 AM 2601 "There are probably 50 MILLION Americans without health insurance! During the campaign to be re-elected, Bush had a better healthcare plan than Kerry! Nothing has been mentioned about it since the election! Bush is so intent on eliminating the middle class of Americans by exporting their jobs, which results in the loss of healthcare, pensions and Social Security if he gets his way!! " EVERY corporation in America pays their CEO's MILLIONS of dollars a year! It should be a law that healthcare be provided to their workers! The exporting of jobs has got to STOP!!! Why should the American public trade off anything when the politicians in DC are writing their own financial position in life which will be paid for by the American public that has absolutely NO voice in the actions taken by these so called politicians? Reduce and eliminate some of the lifetime benefits that the politicians have endowed upon themselves without the approval of the American public!! male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL TN 11/26/05 9:47 AM 2602 access & coverage "Yes. As Ralph Nader suggested, eliminate fraud in government and insurance companies, then have the government provide healthcare for all with the money saved." Increased taxation. HAVE IT BE FOR ALL AMERICANS. male NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/26/05 10:24 AM 2603 the fact that we don't have unversal healthcare from our government to un whitch our taxes pay for yea pool all of our tax dollars together for national healthcare whatever it takes well do make gorvernment accountable male NULL No Response Decline to answer Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 11/26/05 10:50 AM 2604 "I don't trust our health care system when it comes to precription drugs, non prescription drugs, vaccines, and research for cures. Money has become far more important than people. We are being exploited by the pharmeceutical companies for outrageous profits. " "I am concerned about all of the people who are doing without adequate care, spending their last years in pain. This is still a relatively rich country if we divided up the assets in a more equitable way. There should be fee health care and free education for everyone. If Cuba can do it, then why can't we?" I have given up on the American people doing anything about the plight of the poor. "I believe in universal free health care for everyone - without any insurance. The government should pay for all. If we use our tax money for health care instead of war, we can easily afford to give everyone in the country top medical care. " female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/26/05 10:54 AM 2605 Costs rising at a rate that I cannot keep up with. The only answer I could think of is to cut benefits or raise co-pay or deductible. The only way we could change that would be to revamp the entire system into a socialized health care system. I beleive that would undermine what we really want. "I think it depends on health care coverage they have been used to. The better the coverage they have had, the less they are willing to compromise." "I beleive trade organizations should be allowed to band together to negotiate collectively for better health care. Both my wife and I are members of the National Association of Realtors, and I have never understood why we could not band together, as do trade unions, to negotiate better health care for us all." male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/26/05 11:19 AM 2606 the fact that most people are no longer able to afford insurance. insurance should be univerally available and not be part of employment packages which drives the cost of goods and services up. individual payment should not be necessary. payment should be availabe for alternative modalities as well. I'm not sure what people will be willing to give up. "focus should be on prevention and our environment including food, water, and air should be cleaned up so we won't be as likely to get sick and need medical care." female NULL No Black or African American Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL GA 11/26/05 12:10 PM 2607 Doctors writing prescriptions instead of practicing and getting time to know their patients. Seniors above 70 can hardly move around because of the drugs they are taking. There is lack of research as to when the use of a given compound has done its work and needs to be stopped. My liver was damaged so that now I can't take an medicine at all except aspirin and Nitroquick. And these medicines adds so much to the cost that we pay through the nose from our cash and our taxes. I am on the Federal Health Benefit Plan (FEBH) with Blue Cross but Medicare as Primary. I think this is probably the best system available. "All health providers (Hospitals) and Insurance be non-profit and be subsidized by taxes subject to the office of management and Budget. (OMB)This may mean cutting out unnecessary use of instrumentation and tests. Eliminate bureaucracy making doctors fill out forms so that they can spend more time with patients and less emphasis with the placebo effect of medicines. Might cut down on number of visits if the visit is ""prime time""" "Letting doctors take time in coorporation and consultation with the patients, advice on exercise and physical therapy. " male NULL No Response Decline to answer Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL VT 11/26/05 12:39 PM 2608 "Health care is out of reach of so many people; the consequences have a disastrous effect on individual lives, and there is no reason for it. The health care crisis is a national disgrace." "We should be paying our money into a health care providing system, not an insurance system. Our money should be going to services and costs for health care only; nurses, doctors, hospitals, clinics, medical products. When I was paying for my health insurance of my pocket for all those years, nearly all of my money was going to the health insurance industry. My money could have been supporting health care in my own county or state, or better yet supporting a national health care program. Other working people in my income level could have afforded to pay something into a health care program, and would have been glad to do so if such a system existed. Health insurance is so high, hardly anyone can afford it out of their own pocket, it would consume too much of their income. Meanwhile, employer provided health insurance coverage is shrinking, and more and more people are left behind. We are bankrupting ourselves to cover fewer and fewer people. " I can only say that those millions of Americans who have no affordable health care and those who are about to lose their health care would gladly pay whatever they could into a system that benefits their family and community. "Outreach. Get the American public on the train. Reach the part of the public that is suffering alone in silence. Educate them as to how they really could get what they need if they speak up and give them the structure they need to keep a movement on the front burner so that the politicians and the industry will have to face the facts. Do not depend only on the internet. The internet requires a computer and free time. Even if we have access to a computer, our free time is very limited. Demand but do not depend on more local and national televesion coverage. You won't get that until huge numbers of people are pressuring their government and corporate interests as well as the media itself. Public advocates no longer have the access to the airwaves that we once had, even though they belong to the public. We can't even buy access through commercials and ads because the big industries who would oppose national health care will threaten any network that takes our ad money, or just buy them out. We need newsletters, phone surveys and outreach, we need direct mail. When you come home and find glossy brochures from the insurance company and local hosptials, you should also find an flyer or newsletter from the local community health care movement, giving you information and ways to participate, and most important, giving voice to people who are facing these challenges. Many people believe there is no help for the situation; they need to hear from other people facing the same issues who have decided it is just as easy to do something as do nothing in this current crisis, and doing nothing is guarranteed to make things worse. We need to give people simple ways to participate, since they are already swamped with work, family, and school. A postcard they can fill out and send, contact information for local, state and national government, letter-writing guidelines, petitions, etc. We also need to be in the community and visible to the community, with outreach at the street level and partnerships with state and local labor and community activists and institutions. A partnership with labor and non labor community groups is the way to go. The labor movement has always led the way to better lives for Americans, and more Americans should know how much they could help themselves and their families by joining such a community, even though they themselves are not part of a particular labor union." female NULL No White High school graduate or GED No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/26/05 1:35 PM 2611 "No source of payment exists for preventative and routine care for 45.8 million people every day and probably twice that number for part of each year. It is ludicrous that health coverage is tied to employment, rather than residentcy. We need a system that is more conservative about our health care dollars - a single-payer system." We need a single-payer system that retains private providers and hospitals. Here in Ohio that would save 11.3 million dollars each year. We need negotiated drug prices for Medicare. I think that the majority of people do not want the current profit system involved with our health and medicine. Support Health Care for All Ohioans Act for universal health care in OHIO - see www.spanohio.org. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL na 11/26/05 2:19 PM 2613 Cost only the well off being able afford to stay heathly national health care or a sliding scale higher retail prices fix it for all americans now male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/26/05 2:28 PM 2617 " 1.The astronomical increase in cost. 2.The fact that so many working adults are not covered, either by their work or between jobs. My adult daughter has a COBRA, but it is extremely expensive. She is 30 and healthy, but feels she must have her COBRA until she finds another job with health care options." "Yes, a single payer system, preferably run by the federal government. Administrative costs must be extremely high with private health insurance. Every time we have a claim, we have to argue our case. The insurance companies try everything they can think of to avoid paying claims. A $35 claim can take months to process, and must cost a bundle in clerical help who try to get us to pay the claim." "The longer we delay having a national single payer system, the fewer trade-offs we'll consider. I am willing to have small co-pays to prevent malingering, but not much else." A single payer health care system administered by the federal government. female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/26/05 3:07 PM 2618 Those lucky enough to have good health care are really subsidizing the huge number of unlucky individual and families who live without health care. Our premiums are inflated to pay for this deplorable situation. Also I do not think anyone's plan is really truly safe if paid for by a corporation. We are all more vulnerable than we realize. "I think any plan must take the burden of payment off the back of businesses. It is adding a huge dollar amount to the cost of doing business. As health costs continue to increase for businesses they will be at a further disadvantage vis-a-vis other companies in other parts of the world. The auto industry is a case in point. Individuals as well as corporations should pay a share in taxes. It should be a graduated tax (as we have on income already). Maybe a combination of the above and a value added tax dedicated to health care. In any event, getting the tax off of the busines community would add hundreds of millions of dollars of savings for corporations making them more competitive and possibly add jobs to the economy." ASSUMING THAT WHAT COMES OUT OF REFORM IS FAIR FOR MIDDLE AND LOW INCOME AMERICANS: The trade-off could be: We pay more up-front costs in exchange for catastrophic coverage. (Catastrophic illness is what bankrupts families). Make any system a guaranteed plan. Too many of todays plans are based on employment. Being an employee is a truly tenuous proposition. We have to get away from this concept for everybodys peace of mind. This is no way to run a health care system. male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL VA 11/26/05 3:08 PM 2619 NULL NULL NULL "Please- As a ""U.S."" born Canadian- I have spent the last forty years studying the similiarities and differences between U.S. and Canadian systems. To be very blunt- you are wasting your time. You have two major political parties that are very similiar in many ways and that are controlled, lock, stock and barrel by corporate interests- including powerful health ""providers"" and drug companies. Until you develop a significant ""opposition"" in the U.S. as a political party based on democratic socialist ( if this scares you, then you are very much lacking in basic knowledge)principles, you are simply treading water. In Canada, we have a democratic socialist opposition called the New Democratic Party that is allied with labour. Even though the NDP has never come close to winning a majority in Parliament, it has played a powerful role in bringing forth Canada's system of health care.Formerly, the corporate political parties, the so-called""Liberals"" and the Conservatives used to cry bloody muder that this ""Socialized"" health care would ruin the country and lead us down to Communism. This nonsense did not happen. Today, across Canada, even fiscally conservative and anti-union politicians would not dare to suggest that we get rid of our health care system. So, the bottom line in the U.s. is simple- so long as you spend your energies catering to the corporate elite in the Democratic and Republican parties, you are spinning your wheels. One hundred years from now you will still not see a national system of health care as we have in Canada- unless you put your energies into forming a grassroots political party that truly represents the workingpeople, the poor and the disenfranchised of the nation. " male NULL No Response White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL na 11/26/05 3:21 PM 2621 "As a retiree, I fear that the level of beneits I now enjoy may become more costly -- reaching a point that I will no longer be able to afford them." "I get retiree benefits through the contract negotiated by my union, and also Medicare. Eventually, we need to have something like the Canadian system in the U.S. " "Possibly slightly higher co-pays for doctors, hospitalization and drugs, provided the level of care can remain the same." Convert to a Canadian-style system. male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/26/05 4:05 PM 2622 "That not only are costs rising.. that so many americans are without any insurance. This is not only bad for them, but puts their care on all of us that do have insurance, and keeps our employers coming to us for more co-pays, etc. " "All employers should be included in providing health care to their employees, if they can't they should get incentives to do so. " "I don't know, but politicians have people just running scared and refuse to come up, along with business a viable plan. I think most americans are reasonable and would at least take a look at a plan. " Have to cust costs of administering health care. male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WI 11/26/05 4:57 PM 2623 "So few have adequate health care. We need universal health care that covers prescription, dental and eye care" "We need complete universal health care with prescription, dental and eye care." none stop corporate welfare and finance health care female NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/26/05 7:57 PM 2624 "That so many people cannot afford it. I have health insurance only through my husband's work, and when his company downsized, we were forced to pay expensive Cobra premiums for 6 months. This happened when I was right in the middle of treatment for cancer. We could not afford coverage for the whole family, so we only covered me." Take all that money and create a national health care system. Socialized medicine is the ONLY way to go. Insurance and pharmaceutical companies are strangling medical practice in the USA. "I think the only trade-off will be that there may be a waiting list for non-emergency care. But our insurance companies are the ones who now decide if we can have a procedure or not, so what's the difference?" "socialized medicine, socialized medicine" female NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/26/05 10:39 PM 2625 NULL NULL NULL NULL female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/26/05 11:20 PM 2626 NULL NULL NULL NULL male NULL Yes Black or African American Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/27/05 12:19 AM TEST na TEST na 2629 The cost and the fact that teachers do notmake enough money to afford it for their families. I have a problem with thise who purposly do not work so that they get beneifts and people form other countries that come here JUST for the benefits that I CAN'T AFFORD "To add my 2 children to my plan at my school ( my job) it costs over $380.00...just for them. I ama single mom, I do not have that kind of money so my kids go without That is totally insane meanwhile someone that comes over from another country gets FREE medical" Companies need to offer better plans and pay more toward family insurance. My school board should be paying more towards my plan. When I reitre? i get $50.00 a month towards a plan....what is that going to get me? I worked all my life and cant afford it while someone who just comes over here gets medicaid..that is not fair to Americans. make it fair to ALL.....the poor get everything and the middle class go broke and loose thier homes. When I am old i hope i am poor cause i won't be able to get into a nursing home becuase the non Americans and the lazy never worked a day in thier lives poor will be taking up my spot. female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/27/05 11:58 AM 2632 My concerns are that not all americans have access to health care and the costs are way too high to patients "We need a national health care system like all other major industrial countries, and quite a few deveolping countries" Not sure "National healthcare system such as in Canada or UnitedKingdom, Germany, France etc." male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CO 11/27/05 2:14 PM 2633 "That health care will become too expensive for anyone but the wealthiest to afford, which will cause a serious public health crisis in this country and force people to take jobs or do other things that give corporations more power." "I think we need more government-funded health care. I am for single-payer health care system. Employers should also shoulder more of the burden, and this should be mandated by the government. Individuals should only pay for their own medical insurance by choice, not because they have no other option." I think most Americans are willing to pay more taxes IF those taxes are going towards real needs like health care and not towards unnecessary expenses like war and corporate profits. "Universal, single payer health care system for everyone." female NULL No Asian Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/27/05 2:47 PM 2634 "Every American should have health care. If undeveloped countries and other developed countries, why are we letting big business determine public health?" Government should be covering everyone who doesn't have insurance and make insurance companys so that more individuals can afford their coverage. There should be no trade off! Everyone is entitled to high quality health care at affordable cost. Just do what is right for all americans not just a particular party. We are ALL AMERICANS!!! male NULL No Decline to answer Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/27/05 3:54 PM Duplicate na 2636 "Escalating costs and quality. Attorney's with their TV ads have fueled rampant wasteful spending. By the way, tort reform will do nothing to fix this problem." One payer. I do not believe we can continue fee for service health care. The incentives are all in the wrong places. "Higher taxes. Double Medicare tax rate on individuals and quadruple on employers since they would no longer be purchasing health care for current, past or future employees if government single payer were inacted. Employee would also benefit as no health insurance premiums to be paid. I fully understand I haven't ""crunched"" the numbers to see how close this would come to raising the necessary revenues." See #3 above. male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/27/05 3:58 PM 2637 "The rising cost of medical and prescription drugs, the million of Americans without any type of insurance" "I like to see some type of social program like Canada ,we all deserve health care." "Spend less money abroad making war and more on the home front ,this goverment doesn't take care of his people." "The system we have now is out of control,we need to regulate Ins. & Drug co. I'm not an expert but I know what we have now is a disgrace." female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MN 11/27/05 4:12 PM 2638 "Several items: I don't want doctors from India, Pakistan, China, etc., etc. I want AMERICAN doctors. I want functional MRI scans available to the general public, not just in research settings. This is especially important in mental health issues. Here in TX, programs meant help the poor have been made less accessible and more expensive to the poor, while at the same time decreasing the quality of care. Pharmaceutical companies must have limits imposed on the salaries and bonuses of executives and on the prices of medications. Most Rxs would be really cheap if prices were fairly determined." "Health care should be divorced from employment. When I was diagnosed with cancer in 1996, my employer canceled my insurance right after surgery, then canceled it again during radiation, then cut my hours from 40 to 20 per week so I could not qualify for insurance. I ended up living in my car for one full year while still going thru radiation." "We don't want ANY trade-offs in benefits; this is the wealthiest country in the world and we're fed up with health care being sacrificed to the fortunes of wealthy corporations and pharmaceutical companies. I'm sure I'm naive, but I would like to see a national health care co-op similar to what some church networks have today. You contribute on a sliding scale according to your earning power during your prime working years. Then, when you need care, the co-op pays for ALL your care without limiting the kinds of treatments your doctors want to give. Treatment decisions would be exclusively in the hands of doctors, not insurance company bean counters. Part of this could perhaps be funded by a very small national sales tax. " "Take it out of the hands of the employers and the government; provide health care for ALL funded by a small national sales tax and by big taxes on the big corporations, especially those that pollute the environment. Put the money in a co-op administered by doctors and a civilian board of overseers. The civilians would be chosen at random and do compulsory service, just like jury duty, provided they are mentally competent. REMOVE THE PROFIT MOTIVE FROM HEALTHCARE." male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/27/05 4:48 PM 2639 "No real system exists, so there is no health care truly accessible to all. We need comprehensive, high quality care which everyone can afford and obtain." Yes - eliminating unnecessary corporate profit is a must in any really workable system development. Adequate federal budgeting to expand the federally-run Medicare system makes sense. "No trade-offs are acceptable, when waste from susidizing obscene corporate profits can be eliminated. No trade-offs are acceptable, when health care can be financed adequately and established in the federal budget as a genuine priority to get quality care available for everyone. No trade-offs are acceptable, when prevention, and early assessment and adequate health care interventions can be made, so that the devastating toll on human lives, and on our economy and on family and community life, can be stopped." "Eliminate profit-making, subsidized by the federal treasury, by our hard-earned tax dollars." male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/27/05 5:23 PM 2640 Escalating cost and masses of paperwork One payer of service providers; one financing system I think some peop-loe who get 100% employer paid would be willing to pay some payroll tax in order to insure stable costs and compelte coverage See above NULL NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/27/05 7:25 PM 2641 It's becoming unafforable. A simple plan collected thru equal taxation. None. A care plan that would provide high end care that is equal for all Americans. male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CO 11/27/05 9:34 PM 2642 What concerns me the most about health care in America today is the lack of affordable health care for so many people. "I don't mind paying some share of my health care, I don't know what percentage of my paycheck it should be. But no person should lose their home or be unable to eat because of their healthcare costs, and this is happening in America." We've already traded off our raises for a worse healthcare plan than we used to have. No more trade offs! We shouldn't have insurance companies making a ton of money off of insuring people for health care and yet the people with those health care plans are not very well insured and so many are not insured at all. I guess I am suggesting eliminating health care insurance companies. female 45 to 64 No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/27/05 11:16 PM Duplicaate na 2643 The extremely high cost concerns me most. This is going to be another saving and loan mess that a few collect the big bucks and the tax payers are stuck with the bills while the corporations take out bankruptcy and personally walk away with billions in their pocket. The system was working before the pharmaceutical companies got greedy and the government administration invested in the industry. No trade off. The American people are being fleeced. "The problem is so obvious to anyone using medical care in the US. Make the pharaceutical corporations compete. End the ""no bid"" contracts with Medicare. This is not a free market that President Bush tounts . The medical insurance corporations and hospitals, and doctors have jumped on the bank wagon. Now we have almost the highest medical cost of any nation while covering the smallest percentage of the population. The last time I visited my family doctor for a simple bladder infection. He took 5 minutes and charged $155. The high cost of medical care represents a lot of greed. Starting with Presiden Bush who won't let states get drugs from other countries. Just the fact that the same drugs are cheaper in other countries, shows that the US is being over charged. " female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/28/05 3:45 AM 2644 I feel that the 'system' is on the verge of imploding. I think the govt needs to take over all basic health care services and those who can afford to privately would be welcome to do so. Or just legalize euthanasia instead of killing people slowly dont think most working class people can afford to trade-off anything. "Educate the public that ultimately they pay for lack of access to health care in one manner or another, so why not pay for preventitive services" female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 11/28/05 5:35 AM 2645 "There is no end in sight for what they charge for hospital services, prescriptions and doctors services. The average person cannot afford to go to a doctor and cannot afford medical care." "There should be socialized medicine for all the people, everyone should be able to have good health care no matter what their pay scale!" Increase in medicare payments that everyone pays for socialized medicine. As long as the basic health care is paid for the people would not mind paying a surcharge for elective surgery or for a specialist. "Govenment control on pharmacy prices, socialized medicine would bring into contol the exorbitant fees charged by the doctors and the hospitals. " male NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 11/28/05 7:26 AM 2646 That it is unaffordable and unaccessable to many working and vulnerable Americans. That Congress is taking hasty steps to cut benefits instead of extending them. We need a system of universal healthcare in this country. I think that the country is ready for universal healthcare. I think more Americans are displeased with the current system than those who are pleased with it. Provide affordable healthcare for all Americans! male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL PA 11/28/05 7:50 AM TEST na 2648 "Exorbitant costs for care, hospitalization, and medications" "We should move to a single payer system to simplify the process. All individual, employer, and government contributions for a given individual should be put into a single pool, and payments to providers should be made from there." "Managed care is a dirty word to many - we need generalist medical practitioners to effectively manage individual care, especially " "Rein in the drug companies, insurance profiteers, and lawyers. Effective tort reform needs to be part of the package to avoid inflation of providers' malpractice costs." male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL VA 11/28/05 9:11 AM TEST na 2650 We need to move to a single payer system Single Payer Trade off paying outrageous prices for incompetent HMOs for a single payer system Single Payer female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NM 11/28/05 10:38 AM 2651 "High Cost and relative poor quality, fragmentation" single payor system A single payor system would allow citizens improved access to the doctors they want to see at affordable prices. Single payor system male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL AZ 11/28/05 10:40 AM 2654 "It's so expensive, even with health insurance, co-pays and perscription costs are so high, it's a struggle to afford medical care. " "YES! health care is a right, and quality care should be afforded to everyone equally, regardless of ability to pay. I think we should look at making healthcare part of the school system so all children can be healthy enough to learn - including vision and dental care. " "The American public is already holding down jobs just for the health benifits, they would pay for higher priced items so employers can all cover insurance costs and they would be willing to let go of tax cuts for the rich to ensure that poor kids can have health care. " "We must loosen the grip that corporations have on the control of our healthcare system - from employer-run insurance plans to private hospitals, profits play far to big a role in determining the costs and the quality of health care. " female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL DC 11/28/05 11:12 AM 2658 Exorbitant costs overwhelm Americans' ability to receive quality health care. "A taxpayer-funded national system guaranteeing health care to all Americans would lower costs and increase the efficiency of our economy -- not to mention provide better health outcomes, as other industrialized countries (Canada, EU) clearly show." "A majority of Americans would agree to higher taxes for some sort of national, single-payer health insurance program. There's quite a bit of evidence for this: e.g., Stanford Center for Deliberative Democracy's 2005 poll on health care and education." "Similear to every other industrialized country, the US should adopt a taxpayer-funded, single-payer health care system covering all Americans." male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL DC 11/28/05 11:34 AM TEST na 2688 It fails too many people. Remove private profit making services from health care. Get out of war immediately. Make war unprofitable by drafting all profits of armament suppliers. Government sponsored single payer health insurance with no private participation. male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/28/05 2:13 PM 2691 "The millions of people - mostly working poor- who do not have health care coverage. The lack of understanding of how to provide cost effective care using advanced practice clinicians who do not need surgery or advanced medical care. (nurse-midwives, nurse- practitioners etc. The use of expensive technology for those who can afford it and yet the denial of services by HMOs to the insured. " Single payor with every person covered I think that most people would favor fully funding low cost primary care and rationing of expensive technology in the elderly. Also home care services for those with disabilities vs expensive nursing home care. "Have a national conversation guided by experts without financial interests about the above questions. Provide neutral education about the issues- balanced, with the benefits and risks/costs followed by town meetings. Have a moritorium on health care related advertising during this time. Have facilitators summarize the town meetings discusssions, and then have the experts craft a range of solutions based on the opinions expressed in the town meetings. During the period of moratorium on advertising or ""public service announcements"" have a national referendum on the solutions- ranking them from most desirable to least desirable. Then, make legislative changes (without health care industry/union lobbying) based on the refferendum." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/28/05 3:26 PM 2697 Companies like Wal-Mart pushing employees into government programs designed for workers who do not have access to affordable health care. NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 11/28/05 3:38 PM 2705 "The fact that so many people are uninsured or underinsured! I just recently got signed on to great healthcare because I work with the labor movement, and for the first time in my life, I understand why it's so important to have solid, dependable coverage!!! This should be available for everyone, not just the privileged few (myself included). " I think employers and the government should take on a larger percentage of the cost. "I don't think we should settle for anything less than affordable, high quality healthcare. We shouldn't have to give up any of our other hard-fought victories. " "Insure our children and elderly first; if we must prioritize, they should come first. " female NULL Yes Other Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL CO 11/28/05 6:15 PM 2706 NULL NULL NULL "Citizens need to organize - withdraw health insurance to Congress for 1 year. Withing the year, there will be a plan that works." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/28/05 7:34 PM 2708 The lack of it for most people. I am a 22-year old working man and neither I nor most people I know have any health care coverage whatsoever! "I feel that quality health care is a basic human right, and that the government and employers should pay for the bulk of it." Most people I know would not mind having a little more money witheld from their paycheck by the government each week if it meant guaranteed high quality health care. Universal high quality health care is a basic human right and the responsibility of the state. If the government were to provide any less it would be both barbaric and a tragedy. male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 11/28/05 10:53 PM 2715 I am most concerned about the fact that so many Americans don't even have health care and thus are receiving inadequate or no health care. "Yes, we need a national health care system, e.g. Ted Kennedy's ""Medicare for All.""" I think Americans are willing to pay increased taxes for assured medical coverage. "Medicare for All, so every single American has medical coverage." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 11/29/05 9:56 AM 2716 How expensive it is. Our government should provide health care in America. Maybe that would make it more affordable instead of letting these giant pharmaceutical companies charge whatever it is they want for their products. I'm not sure. "Regulate the outrageous prices that these pharmaceutical companies are charging for their products. If we have to, purchase our medicine from Canada." male NULL Yes NULL High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CA 11/29/05 11:02 AM 2717 "Insurance does not cover the kind of physcians that I can safely use. In Europe the people can use their insurance $ as they see fit...to environmental physcians/N.D.'s, network chiropractic care,etc. I have chemical sensitivity/high risk of medical complications from medicine.....so I cannot be safely treated by a traditional Dr....of which less than 2% of our Dr's know how to treat/diagnos. Ask the Gulf War vets, Vietnam Vets and Iraq vets about their health problems....with only a lucky few getting wind of Dr's that are trained in this/detox the body,etc. We have to pay this out of our pocket. I have earned my insurance but it does not cover anything that I can use!!!!!!!There are thousands of research documents on pesticide poisoning, health deterioration from our water, plastic/styrene exposure and petroleum,etc. (ie: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX) Rapp...all environmental Drs...Check out the newest data on brain changes following exposure to our environment/oxides and peroxynitrates). This is a glogal problem and growing! How else can we help environmental laws to be changed for our health/environment if we can't match this demand with also consciuos healthcare vs the usual debate about 'I need to get coverage and get my meds....stop this 'medicine' mentality now! Go to Drs who's purpose is to find the cause and heal the body period (NOT traditional med) PLEASE speak up on my behalf, children's and 1000's of others with modern day diseases. Please help make sweeping changes in healthcare and food and drug and environment. Also, in Europe their is a law? 'Safe practice'? whereby drug/chemical industries must PROVE the product safe vs in US...the PEOPLE must prove the product unsafe. I am using a friend's computer although he did contribute but if you need me to help educate about alternative meds, " Single payer health care plan/streamline paperwork...get everyone in the pool like social security. Keep Medicaid/Medicare as needed...socialized medicine "Everyone is covered. If you have ins through your company go ahead and keep...but if not, pay into system..as companies continue to discontinue their health insurance plans, the people will pick up the gov't plan." Insurance $ to be spent as idividually needed according to belief/meds that work for each pt (I know more people would switch to natural and get way more responsible for their health/cheaper in long run) and single payer female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 11/29/05 11:47 AM 2718 "Lack of health care for every american. Lack of control over insurance companies. Poor management of government run health care (Medicare, Medicaid). Cost to employers and employees." "I beleive more scrutiny of medical providers. Keeping tabs on overcharging, double charging, etc.. Also we must stop drug company advertising. It is not only leading to an over medicated america, but the billions spent is passed on to us. Also the issue of pharmacutical over charge. Most pharmacies mark up medication as much as 500% or more over there cost for the drugs. I also beleive requiring employers of say 25 or more employees to pay for health care that is at least equal to what Medicare provides would put pressure on insurance companies and government to bring health care costs down." "If we had a reliable government, I would love to see an either state run or federal run health care program. As it is I'm hesitant to suggest allowing the government to have any more tax money to misuse. Perhaps a 100% tax credit for medical expenditures. I know that I have continued to vote to keep putting money into our insurance to keep it at the level it's at, but I think the amount we're paying is ridiculas." "Finding a way to audit medical providers, drug companies, pharmacies, and insurance companies. To insure we are getting the most for our money. And to make them accountable, so that health care cost can start coming down." male NULL No American Indian or Alaska Native Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MO 11/29/05 1:33 PM 2719 "Price and professionalism of care. Also, more funding for reserach i.e. HIV, cancer, long-term illnesses. Stem cell research should be prioritized. We certainly need a stronger education campaign, i.e. anti-obesity, nutrition exercise. I feel that health educaitonwas a good core course in grade schools, and we should reinstitute it as a requirement." "The federals and state governments should cover the uninsured in a partnership. Hhealth care should be free for all citizens ages 0-10 and ages 80 and above. We need to tax businesses more that do not provide a health care plan for their employees. Small busiensses could be given a tax break. Farmers need health care, too. We need to see that health is a major issue in all trade negotiations. I am in favor of a percent of our income tax being allowed to go to certain areas, to check off i.e. a fund for health care like we have for the public financing of Pres. campaigns." Stop paying for wars and corporate give aways/tax breaks. That alone would do it. "We could start by electing more leaders with vision, who prirotize this issue, escpailyy for rural areas, too." male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CO 11/29/05 1:34 PM 2732 Adequate health care is out of reach for too many Americans. "Institute ""Medicare for All"" or a similar program." "I think the American public wants a streamlined, easy-to-understand health care system that is available to all, and will accept whatever trade-offs are necessary to achieve that." "Instituting ""Medicare for All"" or a similar program." male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL AZ 11/29/05 4:41 PM 2734 "I have two concerns: One as a consumer and another as a provider of health care to alzheimer's and elderly patients in an assisted living facility. As a consumer of health care, I find it prohibitive to be able to pay for dental treatment which now cost me 8,111.45 out of pocket. I am reduced to finding cell phones and mailing them in order to come up with the necessary funds. This could have all been prevented five years ago, had I been able to afford preventative services. I am just now able to have insurance which will help me. I think tooth decay contributes to existing disease processes (I also have a heart murmur) and lowers the efficiency of the immune system, so I think there could be some real benefits in providing for adult preventative and treatment in terms of dental care. Second, as a nursing assistant I see first hand the poor quality care that elders receive in assisted living facilities. Often we are not train to deal with acute medical events as they crop up, and quite frankly, we are not trained in good critical skills in terms of when to apply bill of rights for people with dementia, and implementing implied consent protocals, in getting needed medical and assessment care to individuals. Also because of the labor constraints of nursing and assisted facilities i.e.., high turnover, and burnout; care givers do not have an good appreciation of not making certain diagnostic assessments on their own, and often provide care, that is deleterious to the patient. Or, they don't provide care...and I've seen the other side of that; unchanged depends, improper positioning in the beds, not getting needed medical attention or reporting medical developments. Often times reporting medical developments is looked down upon by the nursing staff that is suppose to be supervising your work. Also, I feel that caregivers in facilities need much more support in training, in critical skill training, and there needs to be a standardized health value that applies to all residents; IN the places I work, each caregiver gives care according to standards based on individualized standards and alot of times these fall way below baseline. " "I don't understand the economics of our payment system. I think payment by individuals should be augmented by government programs that target those people who have the most difficulty getting good preventative and acute health care. Also this target group should be encouraged to find ways to contribute...whether that means access to better education, jobs, mental health services; this problem does not exist in a vacuum." "Personally, I don't know. American culture is highly individualistic, and most help efforts are to help people operate in society in an individualstic manner. I believe that only a community approach can help to break down the barriers of individualism, while maintaining personality...that is relationship to others and the obligations we have to each other as social beings; that is, both relational-wise and both as being responsible and accountable for our own actions in a social context. I think it is a deeper problem than just looking at how we can pay for it...I think america needs a vision of community...then the way to pay for it will emerge..probably through a forum like this. " My single most important recommendation to make to improve health care for all Americans is making comprehensive dental care from childhood to adulthood to end of life a key component in health care. There should be studies to check the relationship of immunity issues with decayed tooth issues. And quality of care in assisted living facilities border on gulag conditions. These need to be addressed. Also preventative treatment for back/neck disease processes. female NULL No Black or African American Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 11/30/05 2:57 AM 2735 "That fewer people are able to afford health care and with more and more corporations doing away or cutting this benefit, society will have to pay more in many ways." "If this country can spend billions a day in Iraq, we certainly can spend that much to see that all people have health insurance. All this money from many different sources needs to be funneled into a single source system for everyone. How I don't know, but I'm sure Senator Rockefeller has some good ideas as he has studied the situation for many years." NULL NULL male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL IA 11/30/05 8:10 AM 2737 "Two things. The first is the rising cost of health care is forcing many employers to scale back their coverage and put more of the burden on the employee. The second is that if one loses their job, they lose their health coverage, and if they get in a car accident or some other similar situation, they will be paying off the bills for years." "Because our healthcare system is a burden to employers, and is one of the major costs of doing business in the US, I believe we should relieve this burden. We should do this by having government assume the responsiblitiy of negotiating health care with insurers and getting a set payment from both employers and employees to pay for this based on the employees wage. This system would look similar to social security in payment structure." Not sure. "In order for regular people to be able to afford a medical emergency the cost of health care must be reduced, both in the hospitals, and on the corporate end." male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MA 11/30/05 8:38 AM 2768 The spiraling costs A National health care system needs to be created and paid for by all taxpayers with the biggest share being paid by rich corporations and the wealthy. The American public would probably support a tax increase if it would bring affordable health care to all it's citizens. "Make it accessable to all, not just those who can afford it." male NULL No Response Decline to answer Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL VA 11/30/05 3:48 PM 2769 "When I get sick or in need of the doctor, I can not afford to see a doctor." NULL NULL NULL female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL WV 11/30/05 3:57 PM 2771 "the number of uninsured Americans - the amount of the health care dollar that goes for administration, marketing and profit -the number of underinsured Americans" we need a national health program funded by a progressive tax structure increased`taxes to get a comprhensive benefit package and easily accessed health care "Enact a national health program that covers everyone, is accessible, has comprehensive benefits (includiding prevention and mental health services,is of high quality and is accountable to the taxpayers" female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MI 11/30/05 8:08 PM 2777 The fact it is so expensive and if something did happen I would have no means to pay for it. Also the fact so many people get free health care or low cost health care from the taxes my family pays while as a middle class working individual my family can't afford it. "Yes, I think there should be all inclusive member health centers that provide all kinds of health service for a low monthly premium and if there are people who abuse that privelige who are hypochondriacs or something they should have a higher premium." I think government services to people who are able to work should be geared towards education of those people and government spending should be monitered closer for waste so those funds could be implemented. Western views toward medicine is so segmental and should be geared toward a more holistic approach. Also the Fda should do a better job of working for the people and not big corporations so we can get safer products on the market. female NULL No White Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Under 25 NULL NULL NULL NULL TX 12/1/05 2:10 AM 2779 Every human being is entitled to health care because they all contribute to it one way or another. "Universal coverage by government, with strict control over costs. " "Open, citizen controlled operations and practices will require not tradeoff. All we would do is eliminate the lawyers and insurance companies from the pool of money that goes into health care nationwide. " Eliminate lawyers and insurance companies with a universal health care program run by govenment that controls costs. male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 12/1/05 4:21 AM 2780 high cost no smaller raises to insure paid health benefitsmake hold all large companies responsible for providing health benefits for employees female NULL No Response White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 12/1/05 6:44 AM 2790 it is becoming too expensive to have an average family can not afford it not sure not sure because everyones life style is different the cost of living is getting to high and the wages do not compensate for that and health care is climbing beyond control so i can't see any give to make it affordable get the doctor and hosptials to reavaluate their costs these doctors are trying to pay off their high class living with outrageous office calls $80 to $100 just to walk in the door female NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OH 12/1/05 9:42 PM 2807 "The high cost of ordinary visits. The insurance for Malpractice is too high due to overinflated lawyer fees. Having basic health care for all U.S. citizens should be a fundamental right. Health Care, Social Security and Medicare would be easily paid for through our taxes as long as Congress and the White House do not over spend on pet projects that have little or no value to the majority of America. It's a classic example of mismanagement, irregardless of political party. " "If the Government provided health care like employers do, they could provide greater coverage through a few insurance companies based on geografic origin. The more who belong, the cheaper the coverage becomes. It could be a very simple fix or they can continue to pile on the difficulties and create a quagmire." "Govermental pet projects. These only benifit the compnies and official, not the public. We need common and decent health care for all, especially children and seniors. The seniors have paid a lifetime of taxees and deserve the respect and care they've earned. The children are what our country will be made of, they must be strong and healthy." "Having a few providers such as Retail Clerks, Regence Blue Sheild, etc. With a once a year registration it would bring a large amount of revenue for the providers and cover the whole country at the same time. With Federal, employer and personal contributions to the fund, the cost of coverage would be spread out between the three creating a smaller burden of funding on all of the three." male NULL No White High school graduate or GED Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 12/2/05 2:43 PM 2850 "That not everyone has it, that doctors still think they deserve a lot of money, that nurses don't get much at all and less respect, that children aren't immunized properly, the the elderly aren't given the respect they deserve, and that end of life options are limited." Everyone should have the same health care options. "None. But personally, I'd be willing to give up a lot of the defense budget to make healthcare work for all. And yes, I'm a child of the sixties." "Education, education, and education. There is way too much ignorance of basic health premises, anatomy, and science in the general public." female NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL VA 12/3/05 2:17 PM 2857 Expense and inequity "Basic health care should be available to everyone automatically, perhaps with some kind of nominal co-payment. It should not be tied to employment. The outrageous administrative costs of the present system (not to speak of marketing, profits, executive bonuses and more) will easily pay for what we need." "Coverage for everyone can be provided by cutting out the high administrative costs of our fragmented, highly bureaucratic system" NULL male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 12/3/05 9:42 PM 2858 "It costs to much. It's not even as good as it used to be ( coverage wise.)Other countries have free health care, we should to. " "It should be free, like other countries. " Something to help us out. "It should be free like other countries, or at least less expinsive. We now pay for just my husband and I $766.00 a month. That is a house payment." female NULL No White Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 12/4/05 4:38 PM 2859 How much it is in need of a better ordered and integrated institutional system for care "Please accept a copy of a letter previosly written. 1/23/05 Senator William Frist M.D. 509 Hart Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Frist, Thank you for your very wisely expressed New England Journal of Medicine Shattuck Lecture of 1/20/05. It was hopeful and self-responsible. Please allow me to clarify a question and possibly offer a helpful addition to your healthcare vision. Dr. Frist, I am professionally a family physician practicing primary care and preventative medicine in an expanded biopsychosocial and increasingly spiritual service model. I am board certified and was recently inducted as a fellow in family medicine. I practice with my father and my son is studying in a physiology masters program with the hopes of being admitted to medical school. This last weekend my 17-year-old daughter enlisted my assistance in preparing a speech form her AP English class. Her topic was “Market Driven Health Care as an Alternative to Socialized Medicine.” We had the good fortune to have available a copy of your Shattuck Lecture to use as a resource. I share this to try and offer some detail regarding the quality and quantity of my self-interest in writing you this letter. Needless to say the vision and concerns you expressed are common dinner table conversation at our house. To clarify, I have assumed you differentiate preventative medicine from preemptive medicine by the degree of individual autonomy surrendered in pursuit of a positive clinical outcome. This would define preventative medicine as a consciously chosen habit or lifestyle change that with sustaining persistence could decrease the risk of illness and disease. Examples might include eating wisely, not smoking, regular exercise, and/or appropriate sexual abstinence. Hopefully correctly, I have understood your definition of preemptive medicine to describe a practice that through consensual decision making results in a more intrusive, ingestive, injective, and/or invasive effort toward intervening, detecting, and treating a potential medical condition that is currently without significant symptoms or findings except to the microcosmically examined eye. This intervention, detection, and/or treatment would at least initially find the patient more dependent on the physician and health care team. Further many of the treatments at the current state of the art in medical science would result in varying degrees of sustained dependence on the health care system. Use of statin therapy to preempt degenerative aortic valve disease might be one example of this kind of care? Forgive me for belaboring and detailing these distinctions however, I think by doing so it makes it easier to see where your vision for health care might benefit from being expanded. Clinically the provision of preventative medicine can be done using an educational to psycho-educational approach in a public health and often private health care setting with at most mild asymmetry in the doctor–patient relationship. The provision of preemptive medicine however, probably most often requires a psycho-educational to psycho-therapeutic approach in almost always a private health care setting with usually significant asymmetry in the doctor–patient relationship. Further, although both involve caring for people without any initial overt pain and suffering, the emotionally and sometimes physically painful habit or lifestyle changes are at the hands of the preventative patient. With preemptive medicine any physical and emotional pain and suffering that should occur is at the hands of the health care team. A medical care avoidant responsiveness would probably more easily follow this kind of care. Your health care benefit vision needs a provision for first dollar coverage of wellness and/or prospective/preventative medical care. To really create early detection and treatment opportunities before the emergency room crisis one must acknowledge that the level of de" Depends on which socio-economic group you are talking to - this is one of the issuse that makes communicating toward the solution as difficult as finding it. "How we as a nation provide and finance health care for the indigent, the disabled, the uninsured, and the underinsured may be our single most important act of collective social responibilty for the next century. Wisely constructing member benefit allowances and provider reimbursement contracts that recognize health insurance as a long term individual and community investment obligation will be critical for all Americans. ""Health insurance"" really does need to be viewed as a ""life insurance"" product - and then maybe a private sector approach could succeed in maximizng quality care with cost efficiency. To follow please find a letter I wrote to my political representatives last month. Although written with Medicaid in mind, many of the points made are important for the care of all Americans. 19 November 2005 Dear Thanks again for being available to hear our concerns regarding the state of our country. I appreciate that you and others in your profession have listened and responded to my concerns in the past. I can’t say that I have always agreed with the responses, but as we have agreed to disagree you hopefully continue to remain committed to any efforts at positive communication and problem solving. I write you regarding Indiana’s plans for it’s upcoming Medicaid system reform. I’m sure I don’t have the level of data you do regarding the state of the current system or any significant level of detail on the planned upcoming efforts. I was able to glean a copy of a presentation that Mitch Roob gave to our local hospital administrators. I offer my reflected experience as a primary care provider for the last 20+ years. I have several observations and concerns. First, isn’t Indiana’s status as the state with the most medically triggered bankruptcies certainly related more to our loss of insurance linked jobs and/or reasonable early detection and intervention insurance benefits for individuals than to profit taking by the medical business community? I might agree that the high cost and sometimes inefficiencies in the system are related to our current system’s asymmetric increased valuation of some high tech instruments, products, and services like those used in hospitals or provided by pharmaceutical and insurance companies. And I might further agree that we might have found our situation less dire if we had increased the material valuation for self-care collaboration with expert primary care physician teams who have been trained and facilitated to provide service with state of the art behavioral change technologies to resolve poor lifestyle behaviors. But even here we must be cautious of the enormous complexities in our health care system. With this in mind it does need to be restated that Hoosiers have some of the most unwise self care behaviors in the nation. (Just for the record, my waist circumference solidly establishes my Hoosier citizenship!) We eat too much, exercise too little, smoke too much, find ourselves spiritually over connected to substance based gratification (include spectator sports, gambling and sex in this set of dependences), and we lose many of our college grads to other states! For the independent living Medicaid members our state culture may be experienced as toxic and dysfunctional in a number of ways. For example, food stamps materially reward people to potentially over value comfort food and drink as an entitlement. Tobacco products remain too affordable to facilitate people to choose not to smoke. Lack of sustained encouraged engagement in safe productive work or work substitutes like volunteer or educationally organized activities allows the already high level of anxiety and depression among lower income people to not be afforded natural and lasting solutions to poor self security, esteem, and worth. Further, ridiculously restrained reimbursement for primary care and other less overtly procedural health care services has led to the penny wise and pou" male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IN 12/4/05 5:35 PM 2860 The fact that the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are in the middle of trying to make budget cuts to the most vulnerable inour society. What is wrong with these Repulbicans? Have they no concern for anyone other than themselves? Have they no consinece? the people will remeber them in November '06. NULL "No pork spending. Stop immoral wasteful spending. Make rich a nd corpaorations pay their allotted taxes. Many get way without paying all or some of their taxes. Than stop the tax cuts. Step by step, one by one." Ask Republican Senators and Congrewssmen why they continue to increase their health care while denying it to low income Americans? female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL DC 12/4/05 8:04 PM 2861 "That for a long time, a number of evil, cold-blooded killer psychiatrists have been holding targets hostage for Indoctrination, ""Suicidal Ideology"", ""Ultimate Identity Theft"", defrauding records, and draining insurance companies of every cent they can muster for their own mental illness and homicidal people. That it will be used to destroy and kill targets forcing them to endure abuse, torture, and insanity. It is not about health, life, or anything good, but money, power, greed,and control. A lot of money has gone into hellholes and nothing good has come out of it for the targets. Many psychiatrists and others think they can play God and they think they have a right to decide who can live and who has to die. The weaspons of mass destruction have been found. They have been with the mental hell industry for years. " "I feel that if the American people cannot have any insurance, than neither should those in congress or other offices get insurance at taxpayer's expense. " "Getting rid of psychiatry which is no real use to the field of medicine and would save insurance companies a hell of a lot of money and targets a hell of a lot of grief. It is a lawless enclave that refuses to uphold the law and abide by the law. Many think they are untouchable and into ""Racketeering"", have no morals, integrity, ethics,or peace plan. They knowingly lie about the evil killer psychotropic drugs and have for years. They demand to be able to force feed the evil killer drugs down target's throats in order to cover up their ""Unspeakable Crimes against Humanity"". " "Get rid of the damn evil killer Nazi psychiatrists. One does not know if they live in Nazi Germany, Red Russia, or Communist China. ""Sleeping with the Enemy"", Many are hateful, vicious, violent, and promote violence and homicidal activity. Targets have a right to to life and to be able to breath without having to fight for their breath. The law states that a target cannot be kidnapped or abuducted and they have every right to ""Due Process"", rght to provide for their Defense, and right to have witnesses in their behalf, and the right to an honest lawyer. It cannot be that everything has to be done their way. ""Do It or Die"" is the same as ""Do It and Die"". No one has any right to file fraudulent petitions, defraud records, and make the ends justify the means or play ""Wag the Dog"". These cold-blooded killers are criminals and targets should have every right to prosecute them and a right to be compensated for the atrocities they have been forced to endure. Insurance companies do not have any right to cater to these cold-blooded killers and allow things to be covered up. Get rid of the ""Sleaze Bag"", ""Dirt Bag"", and homicidal doctors and psychiatrists. " female NULL No White Some college No NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL IL 12/5/05 2:24 AM 2862 The uninsured folks. Universal health insurance free to low income folks Cancelling of tax cuts to the wealthy. National Health Insurance. male NULL No White Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 12/5/05 8:34 AM 2868 "Everyone has a right to basic health care, at the least. That should be a self-evident truth in a society with as much wealth as ours. But many lack that care." "Government should pay 100% of needed basic health care for those whose income is below the poverty level. The focus should be on prevention. Those individuals should be charged a portion of non-basic health care, depending on just how important that care is. There needs to be a mechanism to make that determination. A floor can be established depending on how basic (necessary) the care is: 0% for the most basic care, 10% for health care services for which there is slight doubt, 20% for services for which there is a little more doubt, and on up to 100% for services (such as most facelifts, breast enlargement, etc.) that have little relationship to health maintenance. Those above the poverty line should pay a portion of basic health care costs, and a larger portion or all of non-basic health care costs. Increments of 10% additional over the baseline can be added for most health care based on income. Insurance for catastrophic care can be covered by taxes where needed, but with tax incentives for people to use private insurance. Employers should not be required to provide health care coverage, though they may be provided tax incentives if they wish to do so. Because health care is a natural right, it should not be dependent upon employment or employer contributions. Note that employers should, like others, be paying for health care via taxes. Also note that paying for those not ""employed"" does not necessarily translate into rewarding laziness. Far from it. Some paid jobs are known to be sinecures, for one thing. More important, much paid employment is not useful (for example: most advertising, most car design) or is outright destructive (for example: lobbying to protect corporate polluters, participating in or playing a supportive role in foreign wars), and some forms of income have little or nothing to do with work (for example: most stock market trading, receiving inheritance money), while much hard and valuable work goes unpaid (for example: much child care, citizen action, volunteer work for charities, actively opposing foreign wars, writing this response)." "Poor question. What use is it for people to say what trade-offs they think OTHERS, the great majority of whom they do not even know, will make? Here, along with some background necessary to explain, is what i will do: I am a homeless person with virtually no income (well under $100 per year). But i work hard at various activities including gardening, community organizing, peace and justice advocacy - things for which i do not get paid. I am willing, if needed, to work directly in exchange for needed health care. However, i have tried to arrange that on a few occasions, and it almost never works out. Those who provide the health care services i need almost never need the services i can provide. But i am also willing to work indirectly for those health care services. As stated, i already work, but most health care providers are not willing to accept that work in exchange for their services. But if vouchers of some sort could be traded in for health services, then the sort of work i do could be traded for those services. The vouchers might require a subsidy, if only some sort of tax break or similar benefit. I am part of an organization called Hard Times Cafe of Grand Rapids, a self-empowerment group of people like myself who are homeless, disabled, very low income, etc. We get ""points of improvement"" for work that benefits the group or the larger community; those points may then be traded in for the privilege of having a weekly meal or obtaining various items at our weekly ""store"". With some subsidy that would allow this to expand to something like the voucher system i suggested, i know that at least some others of our group would participate. This would also have the beneficial effect of further encouraging positive contributions to the community from people who are marginally employable in the market, if at all." "A major revision of federal tax policy to provide an income guarantee for everyone sufficient to meet the most basic needs, and to assure that those most well-off pay a reasonable amount of what they receive. That should include a more graduated income tax such as existed a few decades ago, but without all the special-interest loopholes of that time, a Tobin tax and/or other taxes that recover a reasonable portion of income from stocks, international transactions, and other sources of income now taxed inadequately if at all, and a small but significant wealth tax. This would provide sufficient government income to pay for very good health care coverage for those who need it. It would provide a base income for everyone, which would obviate some of the worst abuses of the system (for example: many people becoming homeless, and thereby becoming a huge drain on public services - especially health services; people being unable to afford other basics that are critical to health, such as food, heat, medicines). It would also reverse the trend of the last 30 years and make our society more economically equal. According to some studies, this, even more than reduction of poverty itself, is very important for improving health." male NULL No Other Some college Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL na 12/5/05 12:01 PM 2877 NULL national healthcare - managed by gov. less money for war - pass on savings to health care and education. take medicine out of private sector make it available to all Americans. male NULL No White Associate Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 12/5/05 3:41 PM 2880 "1. Health care cost rapidly becoming our number one problem. 2. We need to have accountability from providers,hospitals,and patients. 3. We need a single entity who recieves all insurance claims and processes them. This would reduce the administrative cost considerable. If all the claims were processed at one center fraud abuse could be easily monitored. The administrative cost is runing at 30%, fraud who knows but it's out there. The whole cpt code system need to be revisited. I had a case the other week and the surgeon was using 6 cpt codes to file for processing. This is out of control. 4. All surgeries should be done in hospitals. The mushrooming supply of off site surgery centers are seriously financially strapping the hospitals. The off site surgey centers take the cream and leave the poorly or uninsured to the hospitals,while at the same time are often providing marginalized care. When these same surgeons show up at the hospital they demand the latest equipment,drugs and supplies. This could be easily solved by only reimbursing for surgical procedures if done in the hospitals. 5. Patients need to be accountable. People with morbid obesity need to loose weight and exercise. Patients with asthma must not smoke. Patients need to be complient with there medications. " Every adult person should contribute to the cost of health care if able. The idea of universal health care funded by the government will not work. The American pulbic is unrealistic in response to health care. They want every possible drug or proceudre available and they want it now. The american pulic needs to get real. They need to be commited to change and financilly involved. "outlaw smoking in workplace,restaurants,bars,malls,hotels,stadiums,performing arts centers." male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL WI 12/5/05 9:00 PM 2881 availability of preventive treatment to everyone "Make medicare coverage available to everyone without respect to age. The addition of the young would provide money to the system. Individuals and businesses would save on work comp, auto insurance & health care insurance premiums." "Whatever is needed after the above changes take place. I suspect if we had one system the administrative savings would be tremendous, but if everyone was covered under the same system the trade offs would be equal for all." Eliminate duplication and make access equal for all male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL KY 12/6/05 10:22 AM 2882 Many people have no health insurance coverage even though they are working. It is just not affordable. Our company recently had to relinquish renewal of our group policy because of skyrocketing premiums. This is very dismaying to us as owners of the company and to our employees. My children do not have coverage even though they are working. A one payer system seems like it would be preferable. We are a health care clinic and payments to us are delayed for months and months. People learn of new tests and treatments through the media and believe that all treatments/tests should be available to them even though the tests/treatments may not be indicated for their situation. This adds much expense. This should not be allowed. "Ration healthcare so that the dollars can be used for the good of the many. If people want more tests/treatment than is called for in their situation, this should be an out of pocket expense. The situation is totally out of hand." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL MN 12/6/05 11:49 AM 2885 "lack of adequate, basic coverage for those who cannot pay into a private plan. Our health care paradigm does not reflect a basic recognition of the importance and dignity of health care for all. Instead, it is a reflection in the unraveling of our social fabric." "Our? What is this, ""Our""? ""We"" do not have a way of paying for health care. People struggle to get coverage and access to care anyway they can. Your language suggests everything is fine; nothing is broken and we have nothing to work on. At a fundamental level, I want a *single* system that: - *Ensures* basic and emergency care for all children under 18, regardless of ability to pay. - *Ensures* basic and emergency care for all adults 65 and over, regardless of ability to pay. - *Ensures* basic and emergency care for all individuals and families without an income. I don't care whether it is public or private. I distrust private corporations because of the profit motive in medical practice today, and government has not yet demonstrated sufficient capacity to run a business effectively (ie Amtrak). " Increased taxes : broader coverage Private management : price caps "Reduce bureaucratic inefficiency by creating a Universal, Transferable Health Smart Card." male NULL Yes NULL Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL VT 12/6/05 1:33 PM 2888 Cost all individuals should be able to join a state/federal government sponsored group health plan that provides the same level of benefits as traditional plans. more copays but no change in benefits "The niching of providers (for profit specialty hospitals, physician owned surgery centers, radiology centers etc) has not benefitted the consumer by allowing competition. It has benefitted the investor. It has increased costs in the hospitals by leaving them with the sickest, poorest and without economy of scale. " female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL FL 12/6/05 3:59 PM 2890 "The lack ofclear information about physicians hospital cost and quality, which creates significant information assymetries and distortions in the proper functioning of the health care system" "Not fundamentally. A multi-payer system that encourages the right decisions to be made along the health care decision chain is good. However, most consumers are insulated from any sensitivity to the actual cost of care they consume, and have no ex ante indication to the potential price of the care they access, thus creating significant distortions in the proper functioning of the market." I think most Americans would be willing to pay for 10% of the cost of each service they consume (up to a reasonable amount and with full protection against catastrophic loss) in exchange for a better functioning market "allow information on provider performance to show through publicly and tie consumer expenses to the relative value of the services they consume. A patient that voluntarily goes to an expensive and mediocre physician/hospital should pay more than a patient that goes to a good quality and less expensive physician/hospital. Today, most patients pay the same irrespective of where they go." male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL CT 12/6/05 7:07 PM 2891 "Although being a physician might disqualify me from providing input as a ""citizen,"" I think I can add some insights which may be of great value to your project. I am a Family Physician practicing in a semi-rural area in upstate N.Y. I see all ages and types of patients and deal with the full gamut of payors. From a system point of view, I believe the biggest problem in health care now is the multiple payer system we have. The volume of waste associated with patients and doctors having to figure out what services/doctors/medications/tests are and are not covered, is massive. As well, patients are changing health plans on a yearly basis, as their employers shop for the lowest price plans." "As above. I know many groups are against the idea, generally for selfish reasons of control or economics, but we need a single-payer plan, probably run by CMS or an equivalent agency of the government." "Hard to say. Individuals are generally concerned about their own needs and will generally not be willing to sacrifice a benefit for the greater good. That said, there needs to be redoubled effort to develop and disseminate evidence based medicine - including testing and treatment. It is painful to see tests ordered to enrich the ordering physician or to supposedly reduce risk of malpractice claims. Large sums are also poorly spent at the end of life and on unproven alternative treatments. These issues need to be addressed. A difficlut transition will be necessary, but a basic benefit package for all can be enhanced by those who wish to pay the difference." Single payer universal health care managed by CMS or an equivalent government agency. male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 12/6/05 7:29 PM 2892 The fact that at least 45.8 million Americans lack access to health insurance each year. It makes insurance costlier for everyone else. The rates at my business went up 25% this year after going up 15% last year and 20% the year before. "Yes. Payments should probably still come from government, employers and individuals (more through payroll deductions than through co-pays and cost-sharing) but ONE administrative entity could best ensure that the majority of the health care dollar goes directly to care and not to administrative overhead or insurance company profit. " Studies consistently show that the majority of Americans prefer a system that covers everyone even if it means higher taxes. Maintain private provision of health care and ensure as broad a choice of provider as possible but achieve administrative simplicity by having either a single national financial administrator (as with Medicare - which has very low administrative overhead) or by having one such entity within each state -- thus using the entire state as a single risk pool. male NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL MD 12/7/05 10:39 AM 2893 "medicare is a mess. nobody has a clear idea of what is covered, how much is covered, what is plan b covers, what plan d covers,k why you need so many confusing plans as a, b, d, etc. the system has gotten worse since bush took office" "all americans should be covered for health care. congress should rescind the endless raises they get and congressmen should get their health care under medicare not some fancy federal system that gives them everything and takes away everything from lower income people, who are left to die from poor doctors and poor hospitals and poor care. the importing of endless doctors who are foreigners and who dont even speak english so that they can find out what their patients are saying does not help matters. we can educate more doctors and good ones, if we give them free education in return for health care for the people" get all congressional and adminsitrative politicians in washington and state capitals to have the same medical care that everybody has. then the system will improve. why let the president go to bethesda free and clear of all debt and everybody else get screwed we need a universal health care system. we need american doctors. we need less paperwork which is driving people crazy and really costs alot of money in time wasted. female NULL No Decline to answer Bachelor's Degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL NJ 12/7/05 11:16 AM 2896 "The financing system is totally screwed up, forcing the sick to pay more than they can manage, while letting the well get away with not paying enough." "All these entities should pay, but through a tax-based system that makes everyone contribute fairly." "Get rid of the health insurance industry, and rein in pharmaceutical company profits, and there won't be a need for ""trade-offs"" for the rest of the public. (I do recognize that the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries do employ lots of people whose jobs will be disrupted. In a switchover to national health coverage, money needs to be allocated to help these people adjust.)" "Everybody in, nobody out! NOW!!!!!" female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL Over 65 NULL NULL NULL NULL WA 12/7/05 12:38 PM 2897 The defensive practice of medicine and the waste of money from the overuse of medical technologies in an impossible attempt by health care providers to avoid litigation. Something must be done about TORT REFORM before it is too late. The USA needs a fair and reasonable approach to unavoidable outcomes in health care and in properly compensating and providing care for those that are harmed by true negligence or poor care practices. "Yes. I think we need to take the profit motive out of health care. For me it makes sense that a one payer system would be the only way possible to achieve that goal. The only payer that will probably be the most fair and the least likely to expect to get rich from such a system would be the government. However, the government would have to receive oversight from both the public and medical provider sectors in order to remain reasonable about the care available and provided under a governmental system." "This question contains an error. If you ask me about trade-offs in benefits, but still say you are going to ensure access to high quality health care you have a dichotomy. In order to receive high quality health care, you need high quality benefits! If your benefits are limited then your access is limited!" "A Public Health Approach. Put money into real education for prevention and affordable preventative health care services that are community based and composed of teams from many disciplines in health care (doctors, midwives, nurse-practitioner, nurses, dentists, social workers, etc.)." female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 45 to 64 NULL NULL NULL NULL NY 12/7/05 1:28 PM 2899 "complexity of the system, high cost of insurance and of prescription drugs, high out of pocket costs, high costs to employers (leading many small businesses to stop providing health benefits)." "yes, single payer systems like the Canadian system deliver better outcomes at lower per capita costs while covering the entire population" "realizing that not all tests or treatments are cost-effective. Limits should be placed on unproven tests and treatments, for example full body CT scans, CT colonoscopy etc. In addition, to limit the cost of prescription drugs bulk buying by the government with price controls may limit availability of some newer drugs but ensures lower prices for all. We must also realize that the current system is broken and that only radical changes will help fix it rather than piece-meal change such as the recent medicare prescription drug plan disaster." "implement a single payer system. This will lower administrative costs of health care, simplify the system for citizens, cover everyone, and make the US a more attractive place for businesses due to lower costs for employers (for example, cars made in Canada cost on average several thousand dollars less because the manufacturer has lower health care costs for workers)" female NULL No White Graduate or professional degree Yes NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL NULL 25 to 44 NULL NULL NULL NULL OR 12/7/05 2:16 PM 2900 "That 45 million Americans have no health insurance, that many millions more are in constant jeopardy of losing their employer-sponsored plans and/or have inadequate, very-high-deductible plans---and that we trail many other nations in health indicators despite spending much, much more on our health care." "Health insurance should be administered by a single entity, increasing efficiency by bringing all Americans into one pool. Private and employer-paid premiums should be converted to health care tax payments to support this administration." "Studies show