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The partisan split in Congress over health reform may reflect a broader divide among the public in attitudes toward the uninsured. Despite expert consensus over the harms suffered by the uninsured as a group, Americans disagree over whether the uninsured get the care they need and whether reform legislation providing universal coverage is necessary. We examined public perceptions of health care access and quality for the uninsured over time, and we found that Democrats are far more likely than Republicans to believe that the uninsured have difficulty gaining access to care. Senior citizens are less aware than others of the problems faced by the uninsured. Even among those Americans who perceive that the uninsured have poor access to care, Republicans are significantly less likely than Democrats to support reform. Thus, our findings indicate that even if political obstacles are overcome and health reform is enacted, future political support for ongoing financing to cover the uninsured could be uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a 2003 comparative survey of hospital executives in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Reflecting higher spending levels, U.S. hospitals as a group stand out for generally more positive ratings of facilities and finances and short or no waiting times. Yet U.S. hospital executives are also the most negative about their country's health care system. Hospital executives in all five countries expressed concerns about staffing shortages and emergency department waiting times and quality. Asked about future strategies to improve quality, executives in all five countries expressed support for making information technology an investment priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality of care in the United States and elsewhere consistently fails to meet established standards. These failures subject patients to premature death and needless suffering. Yet, unlike the experience with other threats to life (tire failures or airplane rudders), public and private policymakers have been unable to maintain sufficient interest in identifying and solving problems with quality to change the way in which care is delivered. We discuss why it is hard to keep quality on the policy agenda and suggest short-term steps that are necessary if quality is to improve here and in the rest of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent opinion surveys show a high level of public support for the current employer-based health insurance system. Many Americans are not aware that this system is endangered or that the number of uninsured persons is growing. The public appears to favor a two-track system for the working uninsured--strengthening the existing employer-based system and developing a parallel system for those without employer coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many nations have undergone changes in health care financing and services. The public notices policy changes in health care and frequently bears new and unexpected costs or barriers to care unwillingly. This paper presents data from surveys of about 1,000 adults conducted during April-June 1998 in each of five countries--Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States--to measure public satisfaction with health care. In no nation is a majority content with the health care system. Different systems pose different problems: In systems with universal coverage, dissatisfaction is with the level of funding and administration, including queues. In the United States, the public is primarily concerned with financial access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]