Poll Finds Most Voters See Health Care Costs as Important Concern

Eighty-four percent of U.S. voters say that the cost of health care is an extremely important or very important concern for the U.S., according to a USA Today/Gallup poll released on Monday, Politico reports (Mak, Politico, 5/21).

Among Democrats, 91% said health care costs were an extremely important or very important issue, compared with 78% of Republican respondents (Little, Los Angeles Times, 5/21).

The poll also found that 51% of respondents believe President Obama is better able to control health care costs, while 44% think Mitt Romney would better control such costs.

The survey -- which aimed to assess how voters view the two presidential candidates on top economic issues -- was conducted between May 10 and May 13 among a random sample of 1,012 U.S. voters (Politico, 5/21).

Meanwhile, a Washington Post-ABC News poll released this week found that 52% of U.S. residents say that the economy is the most important factor in their decision on who should be president, while only 7% cited health care costs or repealing the federal health reform law (Cohen/Balz, Washington Post, 5/22).