Source: Health Care as a Voting Issue by Political Party – 2000: December 2000 Health

 Now thinking specifically about health care…I’m going to read you a list of health care issues you might have considered in deciding who to vote for in this year’s presidential election. As I read each one, please tell me if this issue was very important in deciding your vote for president, somewhat important, not too important, or not at all important. You said the following issues were very important…Which ONE of these was the MOST important health care issue in deciding your vote?

Based on those who said they voted for president in 2000; N=1,052

 

Total voters

Republicans

Democrats

Independents

The issue of abortion

21%

31%

13%

20%

Making prescription drugs more affordable for seniors

17

11

26

13

Increasing the number of Americans covered by health insurance

14

9

15

17

Making Medicare more financially sound

13

12

18

10

Helping families with the cost of long-term care

10

9

11

13

Protecting patients’ rights in HMO’s and managed care plans

9

7

8

11

Other (VOL)

*

0

*

1

None (VOL)

*

1

0

1

None are very important (VOL)

13

20

6

13

Don’t know/Refused

1

1

2

2

Survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard School of Public Health. Fieldwork was conducted by telephone by Princeton Survey Research Associates between November 13 and December 13, 2000 among a randomly selected nationally representative sample of 1,415 adults 18 years or older including 1,052 adults who said they voted in the November election.