In September 2007, CodeBlueNow! worked with The Gilmore Research Group, a Northwest market research firm, to conduct a phone survey based on the CodeBlueNow! Pulse®.  The Pulse® is intended to gauge the public's views about priorities in health care reform. CodeBlueNow! intends to use this data to give voice to citizen's values and ideas on health care reform.

The following highlights what Iowans are saying about health care.

What would you say is the WORST thing about the current national health care system?

Not everybody has the availability. The small business owner has himself and his family, but not coverage for his ten or fifteen employees; he can’t afford it. That’s a major reason why people don’t have coverage.

If you’re not employed and in a group plan, the cost is prohibitive; you could go bankrupt.

Everybody’s not treated equal. Whether you’ve got money or whether you don’t, or your race or nationality, you’re not treated equal. It shouldn’t make any difference how much money you have; there’s some people that can't afford it.

That's it not equal. Whereas I have great luck with healthcare because I have a great package, others don't get the same care that they need.

It seems to be about politics rather than the actual patients.

When my husband dies I won't get it anymore, so I’ll have to get on Title 19. That’s the way [his company] works: when he goes, the insurance goes.

No one person is going to do it. The Democrats and Republicans are too busy bickering about it.

It is frightening where I am at. The thought of me having to provide my own insurance is daunting because of my wife and 2 kids.  It is all my responsibility as a father and husband. My wife is a stay‐at‐home mom.

What do you feel would be the top three most important elements of an ideal health care system?

I would like to see the drug companies and insurance companies accountable.

To break out of the stalemate that the country is in – all talk and no action. We're not getting any action, just talk.

People should have the choice to see what doctor they would want to see, and have a choice in prescriptions.

Equality; because you have more money doesn't mean you should get better health care.  Get the physician you want. Choose the method of your healing; if you wanted to use alternatives like new experimental cancer drugs.

Preventative insurance coverage should cover diseases like cancer and make sure that the health care system is more in control on how the money is spent.

Accountability of the people running the system, whoever that might be. If there’s a problem with regulating the coverage for people, just to make sure that someone is held accountable.

It should be fair to all. If you break your arm in Chicago, the care and the cost should be similar to California.

Research and innovation, full disclosure of finances, and records of what the doctors have done.