Unsure insurance assurance

There always seems to be the same issues that the politicians and the media seem to be focused on during their campaigns. And rarely do they actually tie to what is going on with the majority of people's every day lives.

One issue that they don't typically talk about or debate enough is health care. Every day there are a ton of people in this nation who do not go to the doctor for serious ailments because they do not have health care. There are people who stick with jobs they hate just so they can keep the health benefits.

The AFL-CIO conducted a seven week on-line study where respondents answered questions about health care. Ninety-Five percent of the people surveyed believe the health care system in this nation needs to be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt. Shocking, isn't it? Not really.

Here are some of the results that they gathered from the 26,000+ people responded to:

• Ninety-five percent say they are somewhat or very concerned about being able to afford health insurance in the coming years.
• Forty-one percent who buy private insurance say preventive care and checkups are not covered or affordable, versus 36 percent overall.
• Fifty-three percent with Medicare, compared with 46 percent overall, say prescription drugs are not covered or affordable.
• Fifty-two percent of people who buy private coverage say prescription drugs are not covered or are unaffordable, compared with 44 percent who have employer-provided coverage.
• A third of college graduates say they or a family member skipped recommended medical care because of cost.
• Half of people in insured families say their coverage does not cover all the care they need at a price they can afford.
• In the past year, 76 percent of people who lack insurance themselves and 71 percent of people with insured children say someone in their family did not visit a doctor when sick because of cost.
• Sixty-seven percent of the uninsured and 66 percent of those whose children are uninsured report skipping medical treatment or follow-up care recommended by a doctor.
• Fifty-seven percent of the uninsured and 61 percent of people with uninsured children had to choose between paying for medical care or prescriptions and other essential needs (such as the rent or mortgage and utilities)
  

What is really going on?

And why are more people in the media not asking the candidates what they plan to do to change this situation?