With simply 5 weeks remaining till the election of the forty seventh U.S. president, greater than half of People say defending Medicare and decreasing well being care prices are among the many most essential points influencing their decisions on the poll field, a brand new survey finds. What’s extra, two-thirds of respondents assume well being care isn’t receiving sufficient consideration within the 2024 marketing campaign.
Analytics agency Gallup and West Well being, a bunch of nonprofits targeted on ageing and well being care, polled greater than 3,600 U.S. adults 18 and older on well being care points. The outcomes of the survey, given on Sept. 9–16, have been printed on Sept. 30. Roughly 1,300 individuals have been surveyed after the Sept. 10 debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, however the polling methodology signifies little variation in respondents’ attitudes earlier than and after the controversy.
Survey members reported candidates’ positions on the next well being care points have been the “single most essential” or “among the many most essential” issue(s) in figuring out their vote for president on Nov. 5:
- Defending Medicare/Social Safety: 63%
- Lowering the price of well being care: 57%
- Decreasing drug prices: 47%
- Insurance policies associated to psychological well being care entry: 43%
“People stay involved over excessive well being care costs and the way forward for Medicare and Social Safety—although different points dominate throughout this election cycle,” Timothy Lash, president of the West Well being Coverage Heart, stated in a information launch in regards to the ballot. “That is very true for older People, a major voting bloc.”
Majority of Democrats, Republicans wish to shield Medicare
What respondents thought of to be the only most essential problem and among the many most essential well being care points various by age and political social gathering.
Maybe unsurprisingly, the significance of defending Medicare and Social Safety elevated with age, with the overwhelming majority of individuals 65 and older (84%) marking it a high problem, adopted by almost three-fourths (73%) of these aged 50 to 64 and half (50%) of these underneath 50. Although the problem was most essential to Democrats (73%), it additionally mattered to majorities of Republicans (58%) and independents (61%).
Individuals 65 and older have been most probably to rank the opposite three problems with high significance, too. They got here closest to a different age group in insurance policies associated to psychological well being care entry, with the oldest adults (44%) simply outpacing these underneath 50 (43%).
Democrats had probably the most illustration in every of the 4 points, the very best being decreasing the price of well being care (75%). Except for defending Medicare and Social Safety, Republicans didn’t attain a majority in any class, the bottom being insurance policies associated to psychological well being care entry (30%). Impartial voters hovered between Republicans and Democrats on every problem.
Well being care not getting sufficient election protection—particularly to Dems
With so many insurance policies—from reasonably priced housing to schooling and immigration—on the forefront of the battle between Trump and Harris, most People (67%) don’t assume well being care has been getting “sufficient consideration.”
The sample holds true for all events:
- Democrats: 78%
- Independents: 67%
- Republicans: 53%
Republicans, although, have been most probably to say well being care was getting “the correct quantity of consideration” (35%) or “an excessive amount of consideration” (12%).
“People throughout all political stripes wish to know the place candidates stand on these vital points and don’t assume they’ve heard sufficient but,” Lash stated. “Will probably be attention-grabbing to see how the candidates and political events handle this.”
Republicans, independents extra pessimistic about well being care affordability
Simply as Democrats have been most probably to say decreasing the price of well being care is a high problem, they have been additionally most probably to say entry to reasonably priced well being care will enhance inside 5 years. Greater than half (58%) stated enchancment was “very” or “considerably” doubtless.
A few third of independents (36%) confirmed the identical optimism, as did an excellent smaller proportion of Republicans (31%). Total, greater than half of respondents (59%) stated enchancment was “not very doubtless” or “unlikely in any respect.”
A 3rd of voters don’t belief Trump or Harris on well being care
As you may count on, Republicans have been most trusting of Trump on the well being care points polled, whereas Democrats have been most trusting of Harris and independents have been someplace in between—although Dems’ belief in Harris outweighed Republicans’ in Trump on every problem.
Whereas independents favored Harris, significantly in relation to defending or strengthening Medicare, a couple of third don’t belief both candidate. Independents confirmed probably the most mistrust (37%) within the candidates’ skills to extend the standard of well being care.
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