(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States are not happy with their medical services, according to a poll by CBS News and the New York Times. 57 per cent of respondents are dissatisfied with the quality of health care in the country.

Health care in the U.S. is based on a system of benefits provided by employers, as well as the Medicare and Medicaid programs which allocate health insurance for the elderly, disabled and poor. Around 45 million Americans are uninsured. 64 per cent of respondents think the federal government should guarantee health insurance for all Americans.

U.S. president George W. Bush signed new health-related legislation in December 2003. The $400 billion U.S. plan is considered the largest expansion of Medicare, and creates a prescription drug benefit for the first time. In average, a person 65 and older spends $1,644 U.S. a year—or $137 U.S. a month—in medicines.

In February 2005, Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed her views on Medicare, saying, "Congress must have oversight hearings on this broken Medicare prescription drug law and reopen it to hold down costs and give seniors the true benefits they deserve. We should move immediately to lower the costs of this bill by requiring the government to use the purchasing power of millions of seniors to negotiate lower drug costs."

Pelosi also supported changes to "allow the safe reimportation of drugs from Canada and elsewhere." 77 per cent of respondents favour Congress changing the law to allow Americans to buy lower cost prescription drugs imported from Canada.

Polling Data

Thinking about the country as a whole, are you generally satisfied or dissatisfied with the quality of health care in this country?

Do you think the federal government should guarantee health insurance for all Americans, or isn't this the responsibility of the federal government?

Do you favour or oppose Congress changing the law to allow Americans to buy lower cost prescription drugs imported from Canada?

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