Americans cutting back on health care to save money

Many Americans have been putting off doctors' visits, forgoing medical tests and taking expired medications to save money over the past year, according to a new poll by Consumers Union. The survey by the nonpartisan organization found that 51 percent of Americans have "faced difficult health care choices in the past year." Despite overwhelming concern about how to pay for health care, however, there's still no clear public or political consensus on how to overhaul the system. The Senate Finance Committee is expected to take a final vote on its plan later this week or early next week, with Democrats split over whether to create a government-run alternative to private health insurance or set up a system of co-ops, nonprofit member-run insurance companies. A McClatchy-Ipsos survey conducted last Thursday through Monday found that while 53 percent of Americans favored a public health-insurance plan "to make sure all Americans have access to quality health care," another 42 percent thought that sufficient changes could occur without a public plan.