People want to pay less for health care

The Kaiser Family Foundation released results from a survey conducted last month. The survey found that respondents viewed lowering out-of-pocket health costs as the top priority, with more respondents (67%) considering it as a top priority than any other issue listed. Interestingly, survey respondents listed the issue as a top priority regardless of political affiliation (among those who identified as Republicans, slightly more respondents listed decreasing out-of-pocket health costs as a top priority than those who listed repealing the Affordable Care Act). People want to pay less for health care, although there is disagreement on how to go about doing so.

Others have pointed out the impossibility of offering lower deductibles, lower premiums, higher quality, and more choice all at the same time, making it difficult for Republicans to responsibly repeal the Affordable Care Act. Instead, some policies should focus on reducing the actual cost of care -- preferably not through price regulation, but rather through systemic efficiencies. Helping the general public select providers based on cost and quality is one of those ways.