Many Americans don't want their coverage to be upended
— -- Only two in 10 Americans say their health insurance coverage and the quality of the health care they receive will improve if a bill passes Congress this year, despite President Obama's promises to improve the system for those with and without insurance.
A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken after the president's speech to a joint session of Congress on Sept. 9 found that more than seven in 10 of those polled say their costs and their care will either stay the same or get worse if the legislation Obama and congressional Democrats are pushing becomes law this year.
"It'll definitely get worse because they're going to have to find the money to pay for all this stuff," says Janene Sholes, 48, of Tampa. "And where are they going to get it from? Us."
The findings underscore the challenges facing Obama and Congress as they try to reduce costs in the unwieldy health care system and provide coverage to millions of Americans without insurance.
Although there is widespread agreement that changes must be made in the USA, a strong majority say they are satisfied with what they have and don't want it upended.
• Eight in 10 say they are satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of the medical care available to them and their families.
• Six in 10 say they are satisfied or very satisfied with the cost of the medical care for themselves and their families.
• More than half say rising health care costs such as insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses are either no problem or a minor problem for them.
• Nearly two-thirds say reductions in what their insurance plan covers is either no problem or a minor problem.
"All people have heard are negative stories about the health care industry," says Robert Zirkelback of America's Health Insurance Plans. But "the vast majority of Americans are very satisfied with their health care coverage."
Democratic pollster Mark Mellman says he's not surprised the poll picked up some anxiety as well.
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