A Prescription for 2024: Building on the Strengths of Our Healthcare System
By Lauren Crawford Shaver
As 2024 rolls on, Americans are continuing their policy discussions about health care. This year, affordability, access, and the future of our current system are top concerns for voters.
Recently released polling from Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) shows that when it comes to health care, affording the cost of care and navigating rising inflation remain top of mind for Americans. 73 percent of adults say that they are “very” or “somewhat worried” about being able to afford the cost of health care services. Additionally, about half of adults are concerned with the ability to afford their monthly insurance premium.
There’s also been a notable shift in Americans’ views on our current system and access to care in recent years. The same KFF poll found that “the Affordable Care Act continues to be more popular than it was prior to Republican attempts to repeal it in 2017, with six in ten (59%) expressing a favorable view.” Perceptions of the healthcare law and what it has done for access, has been positive, with almost four in ten Americans stating that it has made obtaining health care coverage easier.
Our own Voter Vitals polling revealed a significant uptick in satisfaction with our healthcare system, with 50 percent of Americans expressing contentment, marking a notable seven percent increase from November 2023. Moreover, the data indicates a prevailing sentiment among 73 percent of Americans in favor of enhancing our existing system as opposed to establishing government-controlled alternatives such as a public option.
The success of our current health care system is clearly underscored with a record number of Americans gaining access to coverage, through the exchanges. Additionally, public programs like Medicare have experienced significant growth in enrollment, contributing to the overall increase in insured individuals. When we continue to build on what’s working – where Medicare, Medicaid, and private coverage work together – more Americans gain access to the coverage and care they want. However, it’s imperative to acknowledge that one-size-fits-all health care solutions, whether labeled as Medicare for All, Medicare buy-in, or the public option, fall short of addressing the diverse needs of our population.
As we look forward and how to best the advancement of healthcare policy, specifically expanding access to affordable health care, let’s upon our current system’s strengths and rectifying its shortcomings.
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