Public attitudes on the U.S. health care system: Findings from the health confidence survey

focuses on Americans ’ satisfaction with the health care system today and their confidence in the system’s future. It examines Americans ’ attitudes about employment-based health benefits, health savings accounts (HSAs), and benefits in the work place. The Issue Brief also looks at long-term trends in satisfaction and confidence with the health care system since the first HCS was conducted in 1998. • One indicator of Americans ’ concern about health care is its continuing identification as a critical issue for the nation. More than 2 in 10 Americans consider health care to be the most critical issue facing America today. Health care ranks ahead of the economy, the war, education, the budget deficit, and taxes as the most critical issue. It ranks evenly with terrorism/national security. • Few Americans give the health care system top marks. Just 4 percent of Americans say it is excellent and another 1 in 10 say it is very good, while 3 in 10 say it is poor. Americans are now twice as likely as they were in 1998 to indicate it is poor. • Americans ’ ratings of their own health plan have remained relatively stable since 1998. In 2004, nearly one-half of Americans with health insurance were extremely or very satisfied with thei