Trends in Satisfaction and Confidence in Health Care, by Insurance and Health Status : Findings from the 2009 EBRI/MGA Health Confidence Survey

In general, Americans support concepts that are on the table for health reform. For instance, a majority either strongly or somewhat support health insurance market reform, the availability of a public plan option, mandates on employers and individuals, and expansion of public programs to cover more of the uninsured. When the implications of health reform are raised in public opinion polls, support for health reform drops. This paper examines public opinion by insurance status and health status, using data from the 2009 EBRI/Mathew Greenwald & Associates Health Confidence Survey. It finds that the uninsured are more likely than individuals with insurance coverage to be dissatisfied with the quality of health care received and they are less confident in various aspects of health care. The gap in satisfaction and confidence has also grown over time. Similar differences in satisfaction and confidence are found by health status. While these sharp differences in attitudes are not surprising, shoring up the system for the uninsured and individuals with chronic conditions means changing the health care system for everyone - notably for those with insurance coverage and in good health. Ultimately, will the needs of the few outweigh the satisfaction of the many? The PDF for the above title, published in the September 2009 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another September 2009 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: "Social Security Reform: How Different Options Might Affect Future Funding."