It's enlightening to head that a new survey concluded with almost nine out of 10 Americans saying that health care will at least be somewhat important to them in this year's Presidential race.

I indicated in many posts from 2007 that health care in the U.S. deserves consideration as one of (or the) top issues that voters should consider when evaluating the Presidential candidates this year all the way until the final election in November. Why? Well, there are over 40 million with no health insurance living in the U.S., for starters.

The Commonwealth Fund conducted the study that indicated such a high concern about U.S. health care among voters. 86 percent (out of 3,501 surveyed) indicated that the health care platform of Presidential candidates would be very to somewhat important in a decision of which candidate to support.

That is excellent news. Health care costs, insurance costs and related items are in need of so much work in the U.S. health care system that the next President will have quite a job just in that area alone.

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Medical spending information released from the federal government this week indicated that a record $2.1 trillion was spent in 2006 for health care in the U.S. Yes, that's trillion with a 't.' Excuse me, but is that number unbelievably high?

The $2.1 trillion figure was 7 percent higher than in 2005, and although the 2006 figure indicates that health care spending is actually slowing down from just a decade ago, it may be headed for higher ground in the near future.

Why on earth are we spending so much on health care in the U.S.? Although the $2.1 trillion figure includes everything from insurance to individual spending and from local to federal government spending, the figure is still astounding.

The U.S. population hasn't doubled in the last decade, nor will it double by 2016. However, by 2016, the figure is estimated to hit $4.1 trillion (PDF link) from 2006's $2.1 trillion. That's one meaty decade for health care expenditures.

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Health care in the U.S. will most likely be the single largest issue in next year's presidential election outside the 'war on terror,' and experts are already preparing roadmaps of suggestions to feed the candidates.

Areas like more organized care and overall health emphasis (not expensive interventions like drugs) are being brought up, as well as that old bugaboo: ensuring everyone in this country who is a citizen receives access to health insurance.

The insurance undertaking alone will be a monumental effort in policymaking, but a major suggestion so far has been to combine the efforts of federal, state, employer and private coverage to provide some kind of universal coverage.

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Is the health care system in the U.S. substandard to a communist nation's health care system? controversial filmmaker Michael Moore will examine that question when hid "Sicko" film is released this year.

Moore took patients from the U.S. to Cuba (he's under investigation for that) to prove that they could receive better (and less expensive) health care outside the U.S. than inside it.

While I don't think any country's medical system is advanced as the one Americans enjoy, access to that system and the money needed to take advantage of it (when needed) is out of reach for millions of people. Due to that, I'll probably watch Moore's film with a scrutinizing eye but with an open mind as well. Will you?

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