(Cross-posted from Think it Through)

The recent surveys on health care reform have been reporting large-scale support for reforming our health care system but no consensus on the specifics.

• The latest New York Times/CBS poll (June '09) reports 85% of the American public wants  either "fundamental changes" (51%) or to "completely rebuild" our health care system.


• A June survey by the Pew Research Center found 71% favoring either fundamental changes (30%) or to completely rebuild (41%) the health care system in America.


• A June survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation reports that 68% of Americans favor "creating a public heath care option similar to Medicare to compete with private health insurance plans."

The dissonance between this broad support for reform and the reservations about the specifics of reform, shown in somepolls, lead some analysts to voice skepticism that health care legislation will pass this year.  Others point to polls showing that the public is generally satisfied with the quality and cost of their own health care right now, so where is the impetus for reform?  Indeed, the latest Pew numbers show that majorities of Americans do not have a "major problem" with "paying for the cost of routine medical care" (65%), "paying for the cost of health insurance" (56%), or the "quality of medical care in your community"(73%).

If you only consider the numbers showing satisfaction with the current scene, you will not understand why seven to eight in ten Americans want Congress to pass health care reform.  Talk to ordinary Americans, however, and the answer is clear - it is the insecurity Americans feel about health care and their future.

When pollsters have asked about motivations, the results are revealing. The Washington Post/ABC News poll in June asked a question that begins to explain why people are calling for reform, even if they say things are ok at the moment: the Post/ABC survey found 85% of Americans are concerned about "you and your family's health care costs in the future." 59% said very concerned and 25% were somewhat concerned.

Along these lines, it might also be a good idea to find out how many Americans worry about:

• If someone in my family becomes very ill, our insurance will drop us from coverage.


• If someone in my family gets cancer or some other serious illness, our insurance will not cover all the costs.  Could this put me at risk of bankruptcy?


• If I lose my job, I will lose my health coverage and I will not be able to afford to buy new health insurance and pay all my other bills.


• If I lose my job or if I change jobs, I will not be able to get health insurance  because of a pre-existing condition.

John Russonello is a partner with Belden Russonello & Stewart:Public Opinion Research and Strategic Communications in Washington, DC. He writes the blog "Think it Through."