Exploring the public's views on the health care system: a national survey on the issues and options

Instead of assessing support for specific health reform initiatives, this study examines fundamental attitudes that shape views about the provision and financing of health insurance. We find strong support for equity and expansion of coverage, with few differences across sociodemographic groups, but some support for holding individuals responsible for health-related behavior. Consumers want to retain choice of plans and coverage for routine expense yet not bear additional financial burden. Compared with the rest of the United States, Californians' views exhibit more reliance on individuals and provide additional caution about the difficulty of identifying acceptable trade-offs and reaching consensus.