Consumers have an important role to play in making needed changes in American health care, but they feel these changes are unlikely to occur in the next 10 years, according to a new national consumer survey on health care and reform options.
Results of the survey, conducted by Harris Interactive from Dec. 14 to 21, 2007 on behalf of the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center, were released March 10.
Respondents were asked about 23 different healthcare reform ideas. Resoundingly, respondents said healthcare costs are too high and change is needed. Less than half (43 percent) of respondents said they were satisfied, very satisfied, or completely satisfied with health care in America as it is practiced today. Nearly 80 percent agreed that it was very important to increase the quality of health care and reduce costs. But 66 percent are pessimistic that reform will happen in the next 10 years.
While insurers, healthcare providers, and Congress were noted as most likely to effect healthcare change, three in 10 respondents said consumers have the best potential to make change happen. “Consumers ranked themselves as more likely to make change happen than the U.S. president,” says Robert Smoldt, executive director of the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center. “That’s an especially interesting finding during an election year.” Read the press release.
