Apples for Health- Survey: Healthcare among top priorities

Survey: Healthcare among top priorities

MENLO PARK, Calif., Jan. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. adults say healthcare reform should be a top priority, after economic recovery, for President-elect Barack Obama and Congress, a survey indicates.

A national survey conducted by researchers from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health found that 73 percent of U.S. adults say improving the economy is the top priority for the new president and Congress. Forty-eight percent rank fighting terrorism among the top priories, followed by 43 percent who view reforming healthcare a top concern.

Thirty-nine percent said reducing the federal budget deficit should be a top priority, while 37 percent want better public schools, 36 percent want more clean energy sources and 35 percent say dealing with Iraq should be high n the agenda.

Sixty-two percent of Americans say they believe that given the serious economic problems facing the country, "it is more important than ever to take on health reform now."

Large majorities of Americans say coverage expansion, cost reduction and delivery system change are all important pieces of healthcare reform. But when asked to choose which of these sometimes competing goals is most important, affordability tops the priority list, named by 39 percent. Thirty percent chose expanding coverage and about 18 percent picked improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of the healthcare delivery system.

The telephone survey was conducted Dec. 4-14 among a nationally representative random sample of 1,628 U.S. adults. The margin of error was plus/minus 3 percentage points.