Public Attitudes on the U.S. Health Care System: Findings From the Health Confidence Survey

Public Attitudes on the U.S. Health Care System: Findings From the Health Confidence Survey

The 2004 Health Confidence Survey focused on whether Americans are satisfied with the health care system and whether they are confident in the system’s future. Compared to 1998, people are spending more on health care in 2004, yet 30% say the health care system is poor, twice as many as in 1998. Dissatisfaction with the cost of health care has risen from less than 20% in 1998 to 25% in 2004. In contrast, overall satisfaction with the quality of health care received has not changed much between 1998 and 2004. Americans are using a variety of means to pay for the increase in health care costs, with nearly 50% having reduced contributions to savings. Workers consider health care benefits to be very important when looking for employment and nearly 27% of workers have passed up opportunities to leave their current position in order to maintain health insurance coverage.

Ruth Helman and Paul Fronstin.

EBRI Issue Brief,

November 2004, pp. 1-23.

#0144953

Copyright International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists First Quarter 2005