Survey of Iowa Voters Reveals Surprising Results and Attitudes Toward America's Health C...( Non-profit group urges candidates ...),Health

Non-profit group urges candidates to find common ground in health care

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DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The state where voters have the first say in U.S. presidential primaries has also weighed in on a critical 2008 campaign issue: health care. According to a survey conducted by a national, nonpartisan citizens' group, a solid majority of Iowa voters agree the current health care system is broken-and they don't trust politicians to fix it.

Those surveyed also believe health care services should stress disease prevention over high-technology cures, more public accountability is needed in how health care dollars are spent, and "basic" health services should include access to any licensed health care professional. And while the survey results revealed no solid consensus among voters on how to pay for services, they also indicated no strong preferences for either government run health care or personal responsibility, leaning instead for shared responsibility.

CodeBlueNow!, a nonpartisan, nonprofit, citizen organization formed to build public consensus and find common ground on health care reform, hired The Gilmore Research Group, a Northwest market research firm, to conduct the survey, known as the CodeBlueNow! Pulse. This CodeBlueNow! Pulse focused on key principles and core values that could form the foundation for a new health care system.

While the Iowan respondents identified key elements they would like to see in the health care system, they have little confidence in the very groups that have the power to change the system. Only 22 percent said they would trust the federal government to fix the system, and only 12 percent thought the Presidential election would help chart a new vision for health care in the U.S.

When it comes to the candidates' proposals, respondents thought the Democrats had the most meaningful plans (38 percent). Just 15 percent said Republican candidates ha
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