Rising costs and the number of uninsured Americans have pushed healthcare to the top of the list of voter concerns. In fact, healthcare reform has emerged as a major issue in the presidential campaign, according to a Commonwealth Fund survey. Fifty-seven percent of those surveyed say the views of candidates on healthcare reform will be a “very important” factor in determining their vote come November.

The survey also reveals widespread support for covering the uninsured. Most of those surveyed, 62 percent, say they would be willing to give up their entire federal tax cut to help guarantee health insurance security for everyone.

The survey also finds that the quality of healthcare coverage is eroding. Of those with private coverage, virtually half said they had experienced an increase in premiums, an increase in their share of medical bills, or reduced benefits.

When asked whether individuals, employers or the government should bear the costs of health insurance or if costs should be shared by all three parties, 59 percent said that costs should be shared.

The survey results can be found in “The Affordability Crisis in U.S. Health Care” at www.cmwf.org.

The survey is based on a nationally representative sample of 4,052 adults ages 19 and older living in the continental United States, and was conducted from September 2003 through January 2004.