Poll: Democrats hold major advantage on health care costs
Health care costs remain a top affordability concern for voters, who trust Democrats over Republicans on the issue by a nearly two-to-one margin, according to a new poll from health research group KFF.
Six in 10 voters said they are worried about being able to afford their health care, including the cost of health insurance and out-of-pocket prices for things like office visits and prescription drugs. About half of voters said it is “extremely important” for candidates in the midterm elections to talk about the cost of health care, the survey found.
Health costs were tied with gas prices for the most important affordability issue, a finding that’s been consistent across polls for much of the year.
A quarter of voters said they are “very worried” about being able to afford the cost of health care and gas and transportation, and an additional third said they are “somewhat worried” about health care and gas costs.
“Of all the cost-of-living worries hitting voters now, a big health care bill is the least predictable, and that’s a big reason why health care costs are right up there with gas prices and the costs of food and housing on voters’ minds,” KFF President and CEO Drew Altman said in a statement.
The Democratic advantage on health costs has grown over the past six months. In April, Democrats held an eleven-percentage point advantage over Republicans, at 37 percent and 26 percent, respectively. In September, it was a 20-point difference, 42 percent to 22 percent.
Among independent voters, the poll of 1,328 U.S. adults showed Democrats hold at least a two-to-one trust advantage over Republicans on health care costs; though large shares of independents said they didn’t trust either party on most midterm election issues.
The One Big Beautiful Bill, Republicans’ signature legislation, slashed spending on Medicaid and other entitlement programs to fund tax cuts and is proving to be a fertile ground for Democratic attacks. In key battleground states, Democrats are hammering their opponents for voting to cut Medicaid and for allowing enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire, driving up premium costs.
“I think it really is a reflection that this is an affordability election, and Democrats are campaigning on that, whereas Republicans seem to be talking more about fraud, waste, and abuse,” said Shannon Schumacher, a senior survey analyst for the Public Opinion and Survey Research program at KFF and lead author of the poll.
Republicans have historically polled better on economic issues, while voters typically say they trust Democrats more on health issues. But Schumacher noted health costs are a bridge issue, so it’s significant that Democrats have an advantage.
“Republican voters want to hear more about fraud in government programs … it’s an issue that fits well with the base,” Schumacher said. “But when we look at voters as a larger group to include Democrats and Independents as well, we see that cost of living and healthcare costs … are weighing very heavily on voters this year, and frustration with the system at large is really widespread.”
For instance, when asked what they want to hear from a candidate about health costs, the most common responses across parties were related to a desire to hear about candidates’ plans for how they will lower health care costs for people.
“Lowering [health care costs] for people who can’t afford to pay expensive costs for health care,” said a 40-year-old Republican from Arkansas.
There is bipartisan support among the public for major changes to the country’s health care system, though a partisan divide about how to do it.
Some progressive Democrats have been campaigning on Medicare for All, or some form of universal health care, as the solution to high health costs.
According to the poll, public support for Medicare-for All is 66 percent, the highest since 2016. Support drops when people hear criticisms commonly made by opponents about the potential for higher taxes, longer wait times, or threats to the current Medicare program.
On the other hand, support increases when people hear claims made by proponents such as guaranteeing health insurance as a right for all Americans, or eliminating health insurance premiums and reducing out-of-pocket care healthcare costs.
The survey was conducted September 16 through September 21. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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