Poll Reveals Widespread Concerns About Rising Health Care Costs in the U.S.
Most American adults are worried about increasing health care costs, according to a recent Associated Press-NORC survey. Issues like decisions regarding health insurance for next year and the potential for a government shutdown have left many feeling uncertain about their future medical expenses.
Roughly 60% of Americans report they are “very” or “extremely” concerned about health care costs in the coming year, a sentiment that cuts across various age groups and affects both insured and uninsured individuals.
Additionally, the poll highlights other medical worries—about 40% of respondents expressed significant concern about affording necessary care and medications, receiving timely health services, or the possibility of losing their health insurance altogether.
Already, Medicare recipients are obtaining insurance for next year, and many other health plans will have their open enrollment period starting in November. Current federal regulations pose risks for millions, leading to either increased health insurance premiums or complete loss of coverage. The survey indicates that a lot of Americans feel vulnerable when it comes to health care costs, with some questioning whether they can afford insurance at all.
LaToya Wilson, an independent nursing consultant in Lafayette, Louisiana, currently holds an Affordable Care Marketplace insurance plan. Recently, at 46 years old, she has applied for more jobs than she ever has before, largely due to worries about rising premiums and her desire for stability in her employer-provided insurance.
“Even before these cuts took effect, we already faced significant hurdles in accessing needed health care this year,” she noted. “Anything worse than my current situation is pretty daunting.”
Health Care: A Priority for Americans Amid Political Debate
About 80% of U.S. adults deem medical issues “very” or “extremely” significant in their lives. This includes nearly 90% of Democrats and about 75% of Republicans, who rank health care just behind the economy as a top concern.
The focus on health care has attracted political attention, especially at this pivotal moment for federal health policies in Washington.
A major bill, passed this summer, aims to cut more than $1 trillion from federal health care along with food aid, primarily by imposing work requirements and shifting costs to states. Republicans assert that these cuts will eliminate unnecessary aid, but projections suggest that they may end up harming millions of individuals, potentially causing loss of health insurance coverage according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
The urgency has increased due to a stalemate in Congress regarding Affordable Care Act grants due to expire this year. This deadlock has lasted for four weeks with no resolution in sight. Democratic lawmakers are hopeful to implement a funding bill that would extend subsidies, making ACA coverage more affordable for many. Congressional Republicans are open to negotiating, but only when Congress reconvenes.
In conversations with some Americans, there’s skepticism about whether government officials will actually make the necessary changes to address health care issues.
“The federal government should be focused on improving quality of life for people,” Caleb Richter, a 30-year-old certified nursing assistant from Belleville, Wisconsin, remarked. “Honestly, it feels like they aren’t making an effort.”
However, the poll reveals significant ideological splits regarding the government’s responsibilities, with a much greater number of Democrats believing it is the government’s duty to provide health insurance for all than Republicans—about 80% versus just a third, respectively.
Most Americans Disapprove of Trump’s Health Care Policies
Health care appears to be a weak point for President Trump. Only around 30% of U.S. adults approve of his handling of health care policy, and that figure has remained largely unchanged since September. Almost all Democrats and about 80% of independents disapprove, along with roughly a third of Republicans.
Wilson stated that Trump should focus on actions that “benefit the collective interest,” especially for working-class individuals.
On the flip side, Michelle Truszkowski, a conservative disabled veteran from Sterling Heights, Michigan, expressed appreciation for Trump’s efforts to tackle fraud within the health care system. “It’s a good thing when people who shouldn’t benefit from the government are excluded from it,” she said. “Health care is more of a privilege than a right.”
Trust Levels in Health Care Responses Varied
About 40% of Americans trust Democrats to manage health care better, while close to a quarter favor Republicans. Interestingly, another quarter of the population trusts neither party, and roughly 10% express equal trust in both.
Generally speaking, Americans are more inclined to trust their own party on health care issues, with 76% of Democrats expressing confidence in their party compared to 57% of Republicans. Meanwhile, independents show a strong tendency to distrust both parties regarding health care, with about half expressing this sentiment, although those remaining are more likely to trust Democrats.
Richter mentioned a desire for Congress to allocate more resources to hospital workers who are better equipped to assist patients, even indicating a willingness to pay higher taxes to ensure necessary health coverage for everyone in need.
Yet, he feels frustrated that instead of seeking solutions, lawmakers behave “like children squabbling.” “Honestly, my confidence that anything will change is quite low,” he concluded. “It really seems like they don’t care.”
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The AP-NORC survey included 1,289 adults conducted from October 9-13. The sample is designed to represent the U.S. population, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
