Health Care Moving Up as Concern of Voters

The Washington Bureau of the McClatchy Newspapers has an interesting article dated September 23, 2007, about health care. The article notes that health care is moving up as an issue for voters. While all voters are concerned about health care, there is a marked difference between the concerns that Republicans have and the concern that independents and Democrats share.

According to the article, 50% of Republicans are concerned about the cost of health care, while for both Democrats and independents it is 36%. The article also points out that while only 16% of Republicans are concerned about insuring the uninsured, the figure for Democrats is 40% and for independents it is 37%. When asked about reducing medical errors, 17% of Republicans saw that as a concern, while 14% of Democrats saw that as a concern as did 11% of independents.

The same divide exists regarding what candidates should propose as health care reform. When asked what candidates should talk about, 35% of Republicans mention increasing spending and insuring nearly all the uninsured, while the percentage for Democrats on that question was 67% and for independents it was 54%.

Click here to see a graph with the percentage breakdown.