Polling throughout 2024 shows that health care is a core voting and economic issue for the American people headed into November. In every election since 2018, voters have gone to the polls and voted for better health care and lower costs, and this election is no different. Health care is a kitchen table issue that receives strong support from a majority of voters, whether they live in red or blue states, or rural, suburban, or urban zip codes. Health care is also a powerful emotional issue – as we all know when we or a family member gets sick, it takes over our lives and, when you can’t afford the care you need, it is devastating.
The Biden-Harris administration and Democrats in Congress have fought tirelessly to lower costs for working people, middle-class families, and seniors. The Inflation Reduction Act’s health care savings are widely popular, and voters support Democrats’ plans to build on these health care victories to extend lower prescription drug prices to everyone.
While Democrats lower costs for people, Republicans are fighting on behalf of big drug companies to ban Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices and repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would take away health care from millions of Americans, block coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, and drive up costs for millions more. In stark contrast to Democrats’ health care policies, these Republican priorities are unpopular across the board.
June 2024 Hart Research And Protect Our Care Poll Finds That Democrats’ Health Care Agenda Is A Powerful Issue For Voters.
- Popularity Of The Affordable Care Act (ACA) Is At An All Time High. Over 60 percent of voters view the law as favorable. 17 percent of Trump voters and 21 percent of Congressional Republican voters also favor the ACA and disagree with the GOP plan to repeal the ACA. Voters are particularly worried about getting rid of pre-existing condition coverage and no-cost preventive care, as well as kicking young adults off of parents’ insurance. There is also broad support (82% favor, 47% strongly favor) for permanently lowering the cost of premiums for people who buy insurance through the ACA.
- Drug Pricing Reforms Made Possible By The Inflation Reduction Act Are Extremely Popular. Legislation to expand drug cost reduction including expanding Medicare’s power to negotiate lower drug prices, applying the $2,000 out-of-pocket cost cap to people with private insurance as well as people on Medicare, and capping the cost of insulin and inhalers for all Americans is supported by 84 percent of voters.
- Voters Are Less Likely To Vote For The Candidate Who Will Cut Medicare And Medicaid. 68 percent of voters would be less likely to vote for a Republican candidate who voted to cut tens of billions of dollars in funding for Medicare. Voters also have a favorable opinion of Medicaid – 77 percent – and over 60 percent of voters say they would be less likely to vote for a Republican who supports large Medicaid cuts.
- Health Care Is An Election Winning Issue. This Hart Research poll found that health care is an election winning issue and there is power in contrasting Republicans’ opposition of lowering drug costs and making health care more accessible and affordable with their plans to give tax breaks to the big and wealthy corporations. 80 percent of voters say that health care will be fairly or very important to them when voting this November.
May 2024 Pew Research Poll Shows That Health Care Is A Top Issue Heading Into November.
- Health Care Affordability Is A ‘Very Big Problem’ For Americans. A May 2024 poll by Pew Research found that health care was the third highest priority for voters with a total of 89 percent of respondents saying that affordability of health care was either a ‘very big problem’ or ‘moderately big problem’ for the country.
June 2024 Navigator Poll Finds That Americans In Battleground States View Medicare Drug Negotiation And Insulin Price Caps As The Most Impactful Policies and Are Highly Supported.
- Medicare Price Negotiation And Insulin Cost Cap Is Popular Despite Party Affiliation. Medicare’s ability to negotiate drug costs and capping the cost of insulin to $35 monthly for seniors are strongly supported by 62 percent of Americans in battleground states, regardless of party affiliation. This policy is also viewed as one of the most personally impactful policies by these Americans.
- Bringing Down Health Care Costs Resonates Most With Voters. Policies that bring down costs resonate the most with Americans in battleground states. 51 percent of constituents say that policies driving down the cost of health care will help improve their lives the most.
July 2024 Navigator Poll Finds That American Do Not Support Republicans’ Project 2025 Health Care Policies.
- Americans Agree Removing Pre-Existing Coverage Protections Is A Bad Idea. 82 percent of Americans view removing pre-existing protections as a harmful policy of Project 2025. This is one of the most harmful policies in Project 2025 according to those identifying as non-MAGA Republicans.
- Project 2025’s Plan To Get Rid Of Drug Pricing Measures Is Not Supported. 79 percent of Americans disagree with Project 2025’s proposal to ban Medicare from negotiating for lower prescription drug costs and eliminate the $35 monthly cap on the price of insulin for seniors.
May 2024 KFF Poll Finds That A Majority Supports Extending Savings From Democrat Health Care Policies.
- Americans Across Partisan Lines Support Extending Medicare Drug Pricing Provisions. 86 percent of voters, including 89 percent of Republicans, support capping monthly out-of-pocket costs for insulin for all adults with health insurance. In addition, 84 percent of voters, including 87 percent of Republicans, support placing a limit on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for all adults with health insurance.
- Majority Support Increasing Number of Drugs Subject to Price Negotiation Under Medicare. 75 percent of voters, including 68 percent of Republicans, support expanding the number of drugs subject to price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act.
- Americans Across Partisan Lines Support Extending Premium Subsidies For Those Insured Through The Marketplace. 60 percent of voters have a favorable view of the ACA with support continuing to be split along partisan lines. However, there is significant support for the Democrats’ position on extending tax subsidies for people who purchase coverage through the Marketplace. 73 percent of Independents and 57 percent of Republicans support extending subsidies.