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In U.S., Most Say Reducing Cost of Care High Priority for Biden
Politics

In U.S., Most Say Reducing Cost of Care High Priority for Biden

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Story Highlights

  • Lowering cost of insurance and drugs highest healthcare priorities
  • Democrats more optimistic than pessimistic costs can be reduced
  • Most think U.S. is moving in wrong direction in curtailing costs

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Seven in ten (70%) U.S. adults say lowering health insurance premiums should be a high priority for President Joe Biden and his administration among key healthcare issues, followed closely by lowering drug costs (66%) and reducing the uninsured rate (63%). These results are based on a new study conducted by and Â鶹´«Ã½AV.

Public Prioritization of Key Healthcare Issues, by Political Party
How high of a priority should each of the following be for the U.S. government in the first 100 days of the Biden Administration? Highest, high, medium, low, or lowest priority? (% Highest + High Priority)
  Total Democrat Independent Republican
  % % % %
Lower health insurance premiums 70 79 71 61
Lower drug costs 66 72 65 62
Reduce uninsured rate 63 90 60 30
Expand care for older adults 58 65 56 49
Expand child-care for working parents 55 73 53 32
West Health-Â鶹´«Ã½AV Healthcare Survey, Dec. 14, 2020-Jan. 3, 2021; n=3,100
Â鶹´«Ã½AV Panel

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to prioritize lowering health insurance premiums and the cost of prescription drugs, but majorities of both groups agree these cost reduction goals are high priorities. In contrast, 90% of Democrats (and 60% of independents) but only 30% of Republicans regard reducing the uninsured rate as a high priority. These results come at a time when 26% of adults report there has been at least one time in the prior 12 months that someone in their household did not pursue care due to the cost, measured in early 2019.

This survey was conducted by web from Dec. 15, 2020-Jan. 3, 2021, with 3,100 adults, ages 18+, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia via the , a scientifically populated, non-opt-in panel of about 110,000 adults nationwide.

Reducing prescription drug prices is a higher priority among older than younger age groups, dropping from 74% among those 65 years or older to 57% among those under the age of 30.

Optimism for New Policies Greatest Among Democrats, Women, Minorities

While the cost of healthcare continues to be of high importance to Americans, 28% are optimistic that the Biden administration and new Congress will be able to enact policies that will successfully reduce costs, while 49% are pessimistic. Similar results are found for policies relating to lowering the costs of prescription drugs, underscoring a public sentiment that is more doubtful than hopeful and the challenges that lie ahead for the Biden administration.

Optimism for Biden and Congress Reducing the Cost of Healthcare, Prescription Drugs
Are you optimistic or pessimistic that the Biden Administration and Congress will be able to enact policies to bring down the cost of healthcare/prescription drugs?
  Reduce cost of healthcare Reduce cost of prescription drugs
  % %
Optimistic 28 27
Neutral 22 25
Pessimistic 49 48
Net Difference -21 -21
West Health-Â鶹´«Ã½AV Healthcare Survey, Dec. 14 2020-Jan. 3, 2021; n=3,100
Â鶹´«Ã½AV Panel

These sentiments are not uniform, however. At the time of the survey, conducted immediately prior to Democrats winning both elections, about half of Democrats were optimistic about Biden achieving both cost reduction goals, compared with about two in 10 independents and less than 5% of Republicans. These responses may be somewhat different now that the Democrats have retaken the Senate, giving them control -- albeit narrowly -- of both chambers of Congress.

Optimism that the costs of healthcare will be reduced among Black (41%) and Hispanic (38%) respondents outpaces that of White respondents (24%). Also, over one-third (35%) of women are optimistic compared with 21% of men. Optimism is also higher among Americans with more formal education than among those with less.

Optimism for Biden and Congress Reducing the Cost of Healthcare, Prescription Drugs by Poltical Indentity and Key Demographics
Are you optimistic or pessimistic that the Biden Administration and Congress will be able to enact policies to bring down the cost of healthcare/prescription drugs? (% Optimistic)
  Reduce Cost of Healthcare Reduce Cost of Prescription Drugs
  % %
U.S. Total 28 27
POLITICAL IDENTITY:  
Democrat 52 50
Independent 22 20
Republican 3 4
RACE/ETHNICITY:  
Black adults 41 43
Hispanic adults 38 33
White adults 24 23
GENDER:  
Female 35 33
Male 21 21
EDUCATION:  
Grad School Degree or Education 36 34
College Degree 32 27
Some College/Technical School 29 28
High School Degree or Less 24 23
West Health-Â鶹´«Ã½AV Healthcare Survey, Dec. 14, 2020-Jan. 3, 2021; n=3,100
Â鶹´«Ã½AV Panel

Most See Country Moving in Wrong Direction on Key Issues

Amid the muted confidence that the Biden administration and Congress will make substantive inroads into the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs, few Americans view the country as moving in the right direction across an array of topical issues.

Leading this list is the cost of healthcare, viewed by 8% of U.S. adults as moving in the "right direction" compared with 70% who believe it is moving in the "wrong direction," including 65% of Republicans and 73% of Democrats.

The cost of prescription drugs, in turn, is viewed similarly unenthusiastically, with 12% reporting that the country is headed in the right direction compared with 68% saying it's going in the wrong direction. A somewhat greater partisan divide is found here, with 22% of Republicans reporting that the country is heading in the right direction compared with 10% of Independents and 8% of Democrats.

The issue with the least negative perception is the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, which -- despite a nationally in confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths since November 1 -- is possibly being bolstered by the release and early-stage administration of by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. In this case, 27% of U.S. adults feel the country is moving in the right direction. Still, 53% think it is moving in the wrong direction.

Direction Country Is Headed by Key Issues
In general, do you think the country is headed in the right or wrong direction for each of the following: (% Right Direction)
  U.S. total Democrat Independent Republican
  % % % %
The cost of healthcare 8 8 5 12
The cost of prescription drugs 12 8 10 22
Offering high quality K-12 education 14 14 11 17
Climate change 15 12 12 23
Immigration reform 18 11 13 32
The economy 23 15 20 39
Managing the COVID-19 pandemic 27 28 21 34
West Health-Â鶹´«Ã½AV Healthcare Survey, Dec. 14, 2020-Jan. 3, 2021; n=3,100
Â鶹´«Ã½AV Panel

Implications

As the Biden administration prioritizes its policy goals for its first 100 days, the importance of the cost of healthcare to Americans remains substantial. Research conducted by West Health and Â鶹´«Ã½AV that preceded the election showed that the cost of care was considered as important as the pandemic itself in how U.S. adults intended to cast their votes, highlighting how this issue has remained critical in the minds of voters. And then-candidate Biden's trust advantage over then-President Donald Trump in managing the healthcare system amid the pandemic likely played a role in his election victory.

With at least two-thirds of respondents currently citing the reduction in health insurance premiums and the reduction of prescription drug costs as having either high or the highest priority for the Biden administration, these issues will continue to play a major role in the minds of voters as the 2022 midterm elections approach. And making real, tangible and noticeable inroads into the cost of care in the U.S. is likely to be a decisive factor in the voting decisions of many Americans.

Against this backdrop, optimism is mixed that the rising costs of healthcare and prescription drugs will be curtailed in the near future, although it is somewhat higher among Democrats (and is potentially higher now since Democrats won control of the Senate in the time since the survey was conducted). And with such a substantial number believing that the country is moving in the wrong direction across the cost of care issues, elected officials throughout the federal government will be challenged to prove them wrong.

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