Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Counter-Intuitive: RWJF and IB Agree

With unemployment currently north of 10% (some would say significantly so), it seems odd that the left-leaning Robert Wood Johnson Foundation would find that "Americans’ confidence in their health insurance coverage and ability to access health care increased sharply in October ... The survey also found that fewer people are concerned about losing their coverage."

On the one hand, this is good (if not exactly surprising) news; as we've maintained all along, most folks are insured, and few actually lose their insurance. Many of those who do are eligible for various government-sponsored programs. Regardless, the RWJF reports that this recent spike "is the largest increase in the Future Health Cost Concerns Index since the survey began."

On the other hand, what to make of this assertion, coming on the heals of an acknowledgement that the current system, while imperfect, is doing fine: "Americans of every ideology know that our health care system needs to be fixed and want some type of reform." If the percentage of folks who are satisfied with the status quo is so great, then on what basis can this statement be supported?

Obviously, it can't.

Note: For more on this study, see Mike's post.
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