A new opinion poll reveals that a vast majority of voters find U.S. health care unaffordable and are highly receptive to changing the current system, reports The Hill.
The national survey, led by the nonpartisan research firm PerryUndem and sponsored by the nonprofit organization Undue Medical Debt, found that 69 percent of voters believe that health care is currently not affordable.
This belief remained relatively consistent across political parties. The poll included 1,319 voters for the 2024 general election and was conducted from August 21 to September 2, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.63 percentage points. Focus groups were also included alongside the national survey.
The financial burden of the current system is acutely felt by many Americans with 35 percent of participants reporting that they currently owe money or have debt due to medical or dental expenses. Furthermore, 35 percent admitted they had skipped or delayed necessary medical care in the last year due to fear of incurring medical debt.
The financial stress caused by medical costs has forced widespread material sacrifices. Of those surveyed, 68 percent reported engaging in at least one of eight material sacrifices in the past year to meet financial goals, such as falling behind on bills, using credit cards for expenses, or borrowing money from friends and family. A significant 43 percent said they had eaten less food or bought less expensive, less healthy foods.
Voters overwhelmingly pointed to systemic issues, with 74 percent stating that insurance is failing to protect them from medical debt. When asked who was most to blame for medical debt, 63 percent of participants blamed insurance companies—a figure that far surpassed pharmaceutical companies (12 percent) and hospitals (9 percent).
This dissatisfaction translated into strong support for systemic change. Seventy-six percent of voters agreed with the statement that the U.S. needs to switch to a different health insurance system, one that does not tie coverage to employment, allowing people to change jobs or become self-employed without worrying about losing coverage.
Allison Sesso, president and CEO of Undue Medical Debt, noted that voters want a system that does not “tie them so tightly to their jobs”.
Voters are not waiting for federal action, but are looking for state-level solutions. Seventy-six percent of voters said they want their states to pass laws shielding them from medical debt, including limiting interest rates on medical debt and restricting the ability of collection agencies to seize belongings.
An even larger majority, 81 percent, supported the creation of a state-funded health plan that would provide residents with a more affordable alternative to commercial plans.
This focus on state action holds political weight: 77 percent of voters said they would feel more positive about state elected officials if they passed such laws, and 75 percent said they would be more likely to vote for those candidates.
Alternatives to employment based health insurance already exist and are being used by thousands of Americans. Healthshare ministries offer a more affordable way to access and pay for medical care that isn’t regulated like insurance but which is proving of interest, particularly to broadly healthy people.