Question

How did the middle-class beliefs and values shape health care in the US?

Answer 1

Ans) Survey results show that the American public comes to the health care reform debate with ambivalent feelings and a relatively low base of specific knowledge.

- It is shown that middle-class and working Americans are affected by health care problems seem to be very effective in gaining support for reform. These include messages explaining that the typical uninsured person is a middle-income person who holds a steady job and demonstrating the extent to which other workers have been affected by “job lock” and cuts in benefits.

- But Americans also hold a set of core values that will shape their response to various proposals for national change.

- These include:

(1) a moral commitment to the uninsured;

(2) a desire to achieve personal peace of mind;

(3) a lack of self-blame;

(4) a limited willingness to sacrifice;

(5) reasoned self-interest in what changes are enacted;

(6) a distrust of government;

(7) a healthy cynicism about the behavior of our major institutions.