December 10, 2021 | Updates

ICYMI: Latest Polling Shows Voters Prefer Building on What’s Working 

WASHINGTON – The latest edition of Voter Vitals – a nationwide tracking poll conducted by Locust Street Group for the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future (PAHCF) – shows that the vast majority of voters prefer building on our current system rather than creating the public option, creating a government-run plan for those in states that did not expand Medicaid, or opening up Medicare to younger Americans. Additionally, the latest polling found that voters would far prefer to build on what’s working in health care by providing subsidies for those in states that did not expand Medicaid to purchase coverage through the marketplace instead of creating a new government-controlled health insurance system to address the Medicaid gap. 

Key findings from the latest polling: 

  • 75 percent of voters with health insurance coverage are SATISFIED with their coverage.  
  • Support for government-run proposals remains LOW – including for Medicare for All and the public option.  
  • 65 percent prefer BUILDING ON our current system rather than creating the public option or opening up Medicare to younger Americans – including a majority of Democratic voters.  
  • Voters prefer to build on what’s WORKING by providing subsidies for those in states that did not expand Medicaid to purchase coverage in the existing marketplace over creating a new government-run insurance plan.  
  • An increasing majority are CONCERNED about limiting access to quality care, increasing payroll taxes, and bankrupting the Medicare Trust Fund to expand Medicare. 

On Tuesday, members of Congress, health care administrators, patient advocates, and health policy leaders participated in an event, Strengthening America’s Healthcare System, sponsored by PAHCF and in partnership with The Hill. While participants noted there is still a need for improved access to affordable, high-quality health care, there was no discussion of government-controlled programs such as Medicare for All, the public option, or lowering the Medicare enrollment age as the solution. Instead, panelists focused on ways to keep building on and improving what’s working in health care, including through continued Affordable Care Act subsidies and expanding Medicaid. 

Research shows that building on what’s working is the most effective way to expand access to affordable, high-quality health care coverage in America. Enhanced subsidies and full expansion of our current system could lower costs and the rate of uninsured Americans. Meanwhile, studies show that proposals like the public option, Medicare at 60, and Medicare for All could raise costslimit access to care, and hurt health care providers. 

At a time when Americans are depending on access to affordable, high-quality health coverage and care more than ever, we should prioritize building on and improving what’s working in health care, not starting over by creating new government-controlled health insurance systems. 

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