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Health and Health Care

Community Voice

Health care costs

Pew reporting on 2026 shows the cost of health care is a top economic worry, with roughly seven-in-ten U.S. adults very concerned. Affordability of care and prescriptions remains a persistent national political issue alongside broader cost-of-living pressures.

How should policymakers address the high cost of health care?

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How important is this to you?

Sources

Pew Research Center — https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/02/23/state-of-the-union-2026-where-americans-stand-on-key-issues-facing-the-nation
Roughly seven-in-ten adults (71%) say they are very concerned about the cost of health care.
michaelcarbonara.com — https://michaelcarbonara.com/political-issues-in-america-2026-guide
Health care affordability and prescription costs
Positions on this issue  ·  liberal → conservative
  1. Move to a government-run single-payer system covering everyone
  2. Expand public coverage options and aggressively regulate hospital and drug prices
  3. Protect employer coverage while adding targeted subsidies and price transparency
  4. Increase competition, cross-border drug options, and limit federal coverage expansions
  5. Repeal major federal health mandates and subsidies and rely on private markets

Health care costs

Health care affordability has emerged as a top concern for Americans in 2026, with mentions of health care issues rising from 33% to 41% year-over-year in AP-NORC polling. A full 71% of Americans say they are very concerned about health care costs. Both Democrats and Republicans express concern, though Democrats do so at higher rates.

How should the U.S. address the high cost of health care?

Tap a point along the line below to show where you stand.

How important is this to you?

Sources

AP-NORC — https://apnorc.org/projects/2026-the-publics-priorities-and-expectations
Mentions of health care issues are up from last year (41% vs 33%).
Pew Research Center — https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/02/23/state-of-the-union-2026-where-americans-stand-on-key-issues-facing-the-nation
Roughly seven-in-ten adults (71%) say they are very concerned about the cost of health care. More than half of adults in each party say they are concerned about these issues.
Positions on this issue  ·  liberal → conservative
  1. Establish a single-payer Medicare for All system to guarantee universal coverage and eliminate insurance costs.
  2. Create a public option alongside private insurance and expand Medicaid to cover more Americans.
  3. Lower drug prices through negotiation and modest reform while preserving the current mixed system.
  4. Increase market competition among insurers and providers to drive costs down through deregulation.
  5. Fully privatize health care, eliminate mandates, and rely on free-market competition with no government plans.