One reason reform has not be enacted is because the overwhelming majority of people are happy with the quality of their own health care. From an ABC, USA Today poll:
According to the survey, 44% of adults said they were satisfied with the
quality of health care in the U.S. and 89% said they were satisfied with the
quality of their own health care.
The striking part about these numbers is that there are large amounts of people who are happy with their own health care, but assume that most are getting crappy care. If 89% are satisfied, it is more difficult to convince them to change. Even making small changes has proven difficult. In Oregon, a proposal was put on the ballot in the fall of 2007 to make changes in health care for children and the cost would be placed upon smokers. Sounds like something that would pass according to those on the left. The United States has supposedly moved towards the left recently and this proposal was in a Blue State. It was narrow in focus, only dealing with children, and taxed those damn dirty smokers. It lost 60-40%.
The argument could be raised that the evil cigarette companies bought that election. That is a point that might float somewhere else, like in North Carolina or Tennessee, but not in a sophisticated Blue State like Oregon. Democrats have the governorship in that state and both Senators. Since when are that many Democratic voters moved by the words of Big Tobacco, especiallly when children's health is on the line? Also, just because money is spent opposing a ballot proposal, doesn't mean it will be defeated. Those opposed to Michigan's ban on affirmative action outspent those who wanted to stop AA, and Michigan voters still strongly supported the ban, 58-42%.
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