Health care and Medicare are two very important issues to the American public this year. A strong majority of Americans say that health care generally and Medicare more specifically are important issues influencing their vote for president. A majority of Americans also say that the health care system in this country has major problems, despite the fact that most Americans are satisfied with their personal health care situation. As in previous elections, health care is a top concern to the American public this year as they evaluate the contenders in the presidential election.
Health care ranks among the top issues driving the campaign, behind education and the economy.
The candidates focus on Medicare reform and providing prescription drug benefits to seniors is in line with much of the public s concern. Now I am going to read a list of some of the issues that will probably be discussed in this year s presidential election campaigns. We d like to know how you feel about different aspects of health care for you and your family. This discrepancy between national and local perceptions of issues is not peculiar to health care. Americans generally perceive greater problems of crime and education at the national level as opposed to the local level.