A new Gallup poll found that Americans now have the lowest-ever views of the U.S. health system

[Ocelot II]

11. The problem isn't health *care* - it's generally good *if you can get it and pay for it.*

The problem is paying for it as individuals, as well as financing hospitals. We have a very bad health care coverage problem. Excellent medical treatment exists in this country, but if you don't have access to it through insurance or your own wealth you might as well be treating yourself with aspirin and band-aids. There are also parts of the country where even with insurance you can't get treatment for conditions related to being female - because the doctors have been chased off by anti-choice legislatures. Rural communities are hurting for medical care because private equity firms have bought up hospital chains and the small hospitals don't make enough money for them. I'm fortunate to live in a state (MN) that has some of the best medical care available and legal guarantees of reproductive care. A friend recently became extremely ill, and I visited him often and saw the quality of care in one of the major hospitals here - it was first-rate, and Medicare covered almost all of it. That kind of care and payment system should be available everywhere, and to everyone. Other countries can do it; why can't we?