Government

Coverage satisfaction waning

NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Nov. 15, 2004

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Americans have an increasingly disparaging view of the U.S. health care system, according to the 2004 Health Confidence Survey from the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Among the findings: 30% of Americans now rate the health care system as poor, compared with 15% in 1998 when the first annual survey was conducted. Sixty-four percent reported a rise in how much they contribute toward premiums and 54% a rise in how much they pay for prescriptions.

The majority of respondents said that the cost of health care has led them to use generic drugs, take better care of themselves and discuss more treatment options with physicians. But higher costs also forced Americans to spend money that they would have otherwise put aside in savings for future health care expenses.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/11/15/gvbf1115.htm.

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