With the midterm elections around the corner, healthcare affordability is becoming a more prominent issue in Republican campaign strategy. Historically, Republicans have focused on alternative healthcare priorities, but rising insurance costs are pushing affordability higher on the agenda. Americans for Health Excellence (AFHE) recently released national polling from President Trump’s pollster, McLaughlin & Associates, revealing just how important the issue has become for voters.
In their recent national survey, 51% of voters named the cost of health insurance as their top healthcare concern, with a combined 69% ranking it among their top two healthcare concerns. A majority like this explains the growing attention the issue is receiving on the campaign trail.
While healthcare policy has often been a point of partisan debate, the rising cost of insurance and medical care continue to affect households regardless of political affiliation, making it an issue that candidates increasingly cannot afford to ignore. The findings also indicate that healthcare costs continue to rank alongside other major economic concerns for many voters as candidates shape their platforms in the final weeks before midterms.
The survey further suggests that voters are responding to proposals aimed at addressing these concerns. According to the poll, a Republican candidate who supports cracking down on insurance company waste, fraud and abuse is up to 65 points more likely to earn support in a congressional race. For Republican candidates, the poll results may offer insight into how voters are evaluating healthcare issues ahead of the election. Rather than focusing exclusively on broader healthcare reform debates, many voters appear to be responding to proposals that address the direct costs they experience through insurance premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses.
This interest extends beyond insurance policies alone; 83% of respondents said they believe it is time for insurers and hospitals to do their part in lowering costs. The figure reflects a broader expectation among voters that all sectors of the healthcare system should contribute to affordability efforts. As healthcare expenses continue to influence household budgets, many Americans appear to be looking for solutions that extend beyond drug pricing and address costs throughout the healthcare experience. Taken together, the results demonstrate why healthcare affordability is gaining traction as both a voter concern and campaign issue.
The polling results align with what Dr. Brad Wenstrup, Executive Director of Americans for Health Excellence and a former member of Congress, says he is hearing from voters. “It’s clear that American patients, as voters, want action to make healthcare affordable,” said Dr. Wenstrup. “Our data is clear that their number one healthcare concern is the cost of health insurance, and they also want relief they can feel at the pharmacy counter and with providers.”
As campaigns enter the final stretch before the midterm elections, polling suggests healthcare affordability is likely to remain a prominent issue. With health insurance costs ranking high among Americans’ top healthcare priorities, candidates are increasingly incorporating affordability-focused proposals into their campaign messaging. Whether through efforts to address insurance costs, improve transparency, or expand affordability initiatives, healthcare expenses have emerged as an issue with the potential to shape voter decisions at the ballot box.
