New KFF polling released today finds that health care is top of mind headed into the 2024 election. ACA popularity remains high at nearly 60 percent. At the same time, 50 percent of voters, including the majority of independents, support Democrats’ plans to expand the ACA. The new polling comes as Trump has doubled down on his threats to repeal the health care law, which would throw people off their coverage, drive up costs, and rip away protections for pre-existing conditions. Read key findings from KFF below:
Health Care Affordability Remains Top Issue Headed Into November. “Inflation and health care affordability continue to be the top issues voters want the 2024 presidential candidates to talk about on the campaign trail, and while national news has recently emphasized an improving national economy alongside expanded consumer spending, most voters (67%) rate the national economy as ‘not so good’ or ‘poor.’ Voters’ assessment of the economy is largely influenced by their perceptions of their own costs, as majorities describe the economy negatively due to the cost of everyday expenses (64%), inflation (63%), the cost of housing (57%), or the cost of health care (48%).” [KFF, 2/21/24]
Just 16 Percent Of Voters Think Trump Has A Health Care Plan. “While Republican voters think President Trump has a better approach to determining the future of the ACA, many say they either don’t think he has a health care plan to replace the 2010 law or are unsure. A majority of voters, including seven in ten Republican voters, say they do not think President Trump has a health care plan to replace the ACA (42%) or that they are not sure if he has a plan (43%).” [KFF, 2/21/24]
ACA Popularity Remains High As More Republicans View The Law Favorably. “The Affordable Care Act continues to be more popular than it was prior to Republican attempts to repeal it in 2017, with six in ten (59%) expressing a favorable view…However, views of the Affordable Care Act remain partisan with nearly nine in ten (87%) Democrats and about half (55%) of independents holding positive views of the law while two-thirds (67%) of Republicans view the law unfavorably. One-third (33%) of Republicans view the law favorably, a share that has increased since the law was enacted.” [KFF, 2/21/24]
Half Of Voters Want To Expand The ACA. “Building on the ACA has been a focal point of President Biden’s health care agenda, while former President Trump has recently discussed his desire to try again to repeal and replace the law. Half of the public say they would like to see the next president and Congress expand what the ACA does. A smaller share wants to keep the law as it is (16%) and about a third want to either scale back what the law does (14%) or repeal it entirely (18%).” [KFF, 2/21/24]
A Majority Of Democrats And Independents Want To Expand The ACA. “Partisans differ on these approaches, with about three in four Democrats wanting the 2024 incoming administration and Congress to expand what the law does (77%), while two-thirds of Republicans want the law to be scaled back (23%) or repealed entirely (39%). A majority of independents want the law to be expanded (48%) or kept as it is (18%).” [KFF, 2/21/24]
Voters Want Protections For Pre-Existing Conditions To Remain Law. “These protections have been consistently popular among the public, and about two-thirds of adults say it is “very important” that provisions prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage because of a person’s medical history (67%) and prohibiting insurance companies from charging sick people more (65%) remain law.” [KFF, 2/21/24]
