What do voters want in health care reform? Here are the talking points.

A new 'Negotiator’s Guide to Health Care Reform’ lays out a roadmap for new administration, lawmakers.

The consensus among consumers is that our health care system “is broken or was unprepared for the pandemic.” (Photo: Shutterstock)

In an effort to assist a new presidential administration and a new Congress, Consumers for Quality Care (CQC) has developed “a roadmap of where voters want to go for health care reform in 2021.” Based on a survey of 1,200 registered voters conducted in late January, the resulting “Negotiator’s Guide to Health Care Reform” addresses issues voters are most concerned about, according to CQC.

“Cost drove the health care debate pre-COVID and the [ALG Research/Public Opinion Strategies] survey finds that it continues to drive the debate today,” the guide’s three authors note.

Related: Where do Medicare beneficiaries stand on health care reform?

“Americans are overwhelmingly concerned about being able to afford health care in this country, and the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis and its resulting economic pain has only heightened this anxiety, especially when it comes to deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs.”

Here are five highlights of the survey, which are detailed in the guide:

Respondents also were invited to answer an open-ended question: “What is the most surprising thing you have learned about our health care system during the COVID-19 crisis?” The consensus, according to the guide, is that “the system is broken or was unprepared for the pandemic.”

“2021 is a critical year for our nation,” the authors conclude. “The need for meaningful reform is more dire than ever, and it is vital that our leaders seize this moment to support Americans by implementing common-sense solutions to the high costs of health care. We hope these findings will help.”

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