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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – WASHINGTON – New polling released today shows that Americans 50-plus remain concerned with the current health care system, underscoring the need for reform. Data released jointly today by AARP, the American Medical Association (AMA) and theAmerican Nurses Association (ANA), show that about half of people over 50-years old are concerned that there won’t be enough nurses or doctors to provide care in the future, and two-thirds of those polled are either very or somewhat concerned that the current system limits theirability to see the doctor of their choice.(Pictured: ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR)
“The fact that we need to strengthen our health care system may have been lost in some of themedia coverage over the last several weeks, but this survey of Americans shows that the need isas great as ever,” said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond. “Tonight the Presidentwill address Congress, and while AARP hasn’t endorsed any of the bills, it is critical – especially based on this polling – that any solution ensures that people can see the health professional theywant, when they want – particularly for people on Medicare.
”The polling found that nearly nine in ten people (87 percent) believed it was important fordoctors to be reimbursed adequately so they continue to accept patients on Medicare.”This summer we’ve heard a lot of misinformation about health reform proposals on the table. The poll we’re releasing today reminds us that people have serious concerns with the health system in place now: The status quo is unacceptable,” said AMA Immediate Past PresidentNancy H. Nielsen, M.D. “Currently, 46 million Americans don’t have health insurance, and theMedicare physician payment formula threatens seniors’ access to care by projecting steep cutsjust as the baby boomers enter Medicare. We need to cover the uninsured, implement insurance market reforms and repeal the flawed Medicare formula to ensure all Americans access to thecare they need.”
The poll also revealed that most people believe there are not enough nurses to support the currenthealth care system, and that the nurse shortage will remain a problem in the near future.“Two-thirds of the poll respondents are sensing what we have recognized for the last decade –that we are experiencing a critical nursing shortage and that it will worsen as the rates ofregistered nurse retirements and aging Baby Boomers requiring health services each increase,” said ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR. “Health care reform must ensure thatthe RN workforce is sufficient to make universal access to quality care a reality, not just theory. We can catch up with growing demand through increased investments in nursing workforcedevelopment and educational programs.”
Also of note – more than three-fourths (78 percent) are worried that some day either they orsomeone they know might incur a health care cost that wouldn’t be covered by their health insurance.The telephone survey was conducted from September 4-7, 2009 by Woelfel Research, Inc. The RDD sample consists of 1,001 United States residents at least 50 years old. The results from thestudy were weighted by age and gender. The margin of sampling error is ±3.1%.The executive summary of the polling is available at: http://www.aarp.org/research/surveys/care/health/hcreform/articles/hcr_concerns.
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