Healthcare Costs a Partial Discussion
This is a much longer report than the three charts I am showing below. Charts 3, 5, and 8 get to the issues at hand. At least, I believe so. To me, I do not believe there is any politics involved in deciding whether healthcare is important. It is important and should be readily available to all US citizens and non-citizens alike.
The problem today being politics and nothing more than using costs and citizenship as the reasons not to do such. My travels through Europe and much of Asia allowed me access to healthcare even as a noncitizen. I did need a resident to explain my issue each time.
Not quite so easy in the United States.
The next three charts discuss the cost of healthcare in the United States. This is another issue as costs are prohibitive in the United States unless you have healthcare insurance which is costly or a government plan such as Medicaid or Medicare.
Health Tracking Poll: Health Care Costs, Expiring ACA Tax Credits, and the 2026 Midterms. KFF
Charts 3, 5, and 8 and an Explanation for Each.
A KFF Health Tracking Poll finds health care costs top the list of what the public worries about being able to afford for themselves and family. Two-thirds (66%) of the public worry about paying for health care. This includes the cost of health insurance and out-of-pocket costs for office visits, prescription drugs, etc. It ranks higher as a financial worry than other household expenses like utilities, food, and rent or mortgage.
All three items a majority of Americans worry about being able to afford. One third of adults (32%) say they are “very worried” about affording health care expenses. A quarter of adults say the same about being able to afford food and groceries (24%), their rent or mortgage (23%), or utilities (22%). A fifth of adults say they are “very worried” about affording gas and transportation costs (17%). This comes as recent reports show health care costs are on the rise for most Americans. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced tax credits benefitting most people purchasing insurance through the marketplace has expired.
If at all, how worried are you about being able to afford each of the following for you and your family?
One reason health care expenses are topping the list of household worries is most adults say their health care costs have increased in the past year. A substantial say these costs have increased at a faster rate than other household expenses.
Overall, more than half (55%) of adults say their health care costs have increased in the past year. This includes ~two-thirds of people with employer-based health insurance (64%), those who purchase their own coverage (66%), and about half (53%) of Medicare enrollees 65 and older. Perceptions about the increase of health care costs persist across partisanship. About half or more across partisans saying their health care costs have increased in the past year. This includes 58% of Democrats, 56% of independents, and 51% of Republicans, which includes 47% of MAGA Republicans.
Democrats May Have an Advantage on Health Care Issues, But No Party Has an Advantage on the Cost of Living
With health care costs on the rise and a significant source of worry for many, a majority of all voters say the issue will play a role in their voting decisions. The cost of health care is a strong motivator for Democratic voters. More than eight in ten Democrats say it will impact their decision to vote and for whom they will vote. Two-thirds say it will have a “major impact.”
The cost of health care is a similarly large motivator for independents. About eight in ten say it will impact their vote. While more than four in ten who say it will have a “major impact.” Democrats and independent voters are more likely to say health care costs are a strong motivator compared to Republican voters.
Substantial shares of Republican voters say it will impact their decisions in November as well. Six in ten (60%) Republican voters say it will impact their decision to vote and 56% say it will impact which party’s candidate they will vote for. This includes about a fifth of Republican voters who say the cost of health care will have a “major impact.”
This suggests rising health care costs resonate with voters across the board and will be a key voting issue to watch for in this November’s elections.
Less than ten months before the 2026 midterm elections, the Democratic Party has a strong edge over the Republican Party when it comes to health care issues, including on the cost of health care. Democrats have a double-digit advantage over the Republicans when it comes to who voters trust on determining the future of Medicaid (43% vs. 25%), addressing the future of the ACA (42% vs. 26%), determining the future of Medicare (40% vs. 26%), and addressing the cost of health care (40% vs. 27%). Voters are more divided on which party they trust to address the cost of prescription drugs. Such was an issue President Trump has focused on during his second term. Notably, on every health care issue asked about, at least a quarter of voters say they trust neither party to do a better job.
The United States has the most costly healthcare system in the world, spending roughly twice as much per person and over $14,570 per person in 2023—compared to other high-income nations. Despite this, the U.S. does not achieve better overall health outcomes, often experiencing lower life expectancy and higher chronic disease burdens. Peterson G. Foundation