Science / Medicine : Voters Agree on Health Care

A majority of Americans believe that the provision of health care to the poor and the uninsured is more important than reducing the national debt, but fewer George Bush supporters (51%) than Michael S. Dukakis supporters (73%) feel this way, according to a nationwide public opinion survey of 1,007 U.S. adults on their attitudes toward the government’s role in delivery and financing of health care.

The survey, by Opinion Research Corp. of Princeton, N.J., also found that ensuring the viability of Medicare is a priority for most Americans (63%), rather than improving the national defense. Bush and Dukakis supporters differ greatly on this issue: 79% of Dukakis voters versus only 49% of Bush voters support ensuring the viability of the Medicare program over improving national defense.

On the issue of national health insurance, Dukakis supporters favor coverage for everyone (79%); Bush supporters favor universal coverage by a much slimmer margin (54%).

An overwhelming majority of Americans (82%) believe that hospitals should provide services based on medical need regardless of ability to pay.