The view from here

Kaiser, ABC, and USA Today just released a pretty expansive poll documenting the country's opinions on health care. The nickel version is that your countrymen are mostly liberal, deeply confused, and more likely to loathe the status quo than clearly conceptualize potential alternatives. Respondents said it was the third most important issue in the country, behind Iraq and the economy, but before immigration, gas prices, or terrorism. That's probably because opinions toward the system are so overwhelmingly negative: 80% are dissatisfied with the cost of health care in the country, and 54% are dissatisfied with the quality. So the system starts out with few friends.

From there, things get more complicated. Nearly 90% are satisfied with the quality of care they received. Nearly 60% are satisfied with their costs. In other words, Americans believe everyone else's health care system costs too much and delivers too little. Their own system rocks. Meanwhile, a full 25% reported that they or someone in their household had problems paying for medical bill in the last 12 months, and 28% put off medical treatment due to cost. Of that 28%, 70% admitted that the delayed treatment was "serious." And remember, this is all in the last year.

Individual fears become more acute when asked about the future: 60% fear affording insurance "over the next few years" and 56% fear losing their coverage if they lose their job.

As for what's driving all these high costs, the reported culprits, in descending order, are excess profits of drug and insurance companies, medical malpractice lawsuits, fraud and waste, overpaid doctors, administrative costs, unnecessary treatments, unhealthy lifestyles, expensive new treatments, the aging population, and better medical care.