Who should fix the broken healthcare system?

Americans' confidence in the healthcare system is waning, and they aren't sure who — if anyone — can repair it, according to a recent poll

The fourth-quarter edition of the Keckley Poll, conducted for the Keckley Report by Centiment between Nov. 14-16, surveyed 817 adults regarding their trust in the U.S. health system. 

A notable 69% of respondents agreed that the health system is "fundamentally flawed and in need of major change." One major issue the respondents noted was the cost of healthcare; 74% believe the federal government should impose price controls for hospital services, prescription drugs and insurance premiums. But although respondents want the government to get involved with cost control, 76% think politicians avoid dealing with healthcare issues due to their complexity and political risk. 

Their answers displayed little trust in the health systems' willingness to regulate costs itself, with 60% of respondents expressing the belief that health system puts profits above patient care. Only 49% agreed that the majority of physicians care more about caring for their patients than their income. 

When asked how much confidence they have in each stakeholder — insurance companies, hospitals, physicians, the federal government and national retail health companies — to "develop a plan for the U.S. health system that maximizes what it has done well and corrects its major flaws," respondents expressed the most faith in physicians. But even then, only 32.5% would put a great deal of trust in physicians to develop a workable solution. 

Here's how each stakeholder stacked up, per Keckley's poll: 

 

% Trust and confidence

 "A great deal"

"Not much/none"

Insurance companies

18.4%

38.4%

Hospitals

27.4%

20.7%

Physicians

32.5%

13.6%

Federal government

14.2%

43.5%

National retail health companies

21.3%

27.8%

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