A recent survey from Ipsos on behalf of Consumers for Quality Care (CQC) found that consumers are deeply frustrated with the health care system. A broad, bipartisan majority of voters (77%) believe that policymakers are focusing on the wrong things to improve health care and they want a new approach from politicians to tackle costs and ensure greater clarity in the system.

High health care costs are hurting Americans. CQC is working to ensure that patients – and their right to high-quality and affordable health care – remain at the forefront of the health care debate. We need meaningful changes to our health care system that will improve care for consumers throughout the United States.

Americans are deeply frustrated with hospital fees and unexpected bills, insurance costs like premiums, copays and deductibles, and escalating out-of-pocket costs and we support:

• Making health care more accessible, higher quality and less costly;
• Making health care policies, procedures and processes clearer for patients and their families; and
• Not increasing out-of-pocket costs.

With Americans uncertain at every step of the health care process and unable to predict how much they are going to have to pay, the time is now to make improvements to ensure we are not paying more than we need to be and that the lack of clarity in the system doesn’t stand in the way of our health.

We urge policymakers and the health care industry to address policies and practices that put an undue financial burden on American health care consumers.