not used title

not used title

 

We know from our insights on Election 2020 that COVID-19 was top-of-mind for Democrats and the economy was the key issue for Republicans, with Independents focused across both issues. But when looking at health care beyond the current pandemic, specific concerns were bipartisan – and largely centered on health insurance coverage, including protections for those with pre-existing conditions, as well as affordability of out-of-pocket costs.

While some third parties continue to publish polls that distract attention from the root causes of America’s affordability crisis, non-partisan public polling continues to show that voters are most concerned with the deterioration of their coverage and the corresponding rise in out-of-pocket costs for health care – from deductibles and co-pays to hospital services and prescription drugs.

As the Biden administration gets underway, voters across party lines are clearly calling for a concerted effort to advance coverage and affordability solutions. Today, we’ll look into these two areas more closely as well as potential solutions.

Coverage Concerns: As reflected in our November 2020 Morning Consult tracking poll, voters across political parties cite rising out-of-pocket costs and declining health insurance coverage among top concerns.

• Both Democrats and Republicans say that they are very worried about not having the coverage they need in the event of a major medical event (67% and 51%, respectively).
  
  
• Both Democrats and Republicans note pre-existing conditions protections are among their top three health care issues – further demonstrating concern about having quality coverage when needed. These voter concerns stem from the declining coverage American’s have dealt with over the past decade.
  
  
• According to IQVIA’s patient affordability case study, commercially insured patients with a deductible have seen their out-of-pocket costs for brand medicines increase 50% since 2014. And while retail prescription drug medicine prices declined by 0.4% on average in 2019, patients often don’t reap the benefits from lower prices because of our broken insurance system.

Affordability Concerns: Bipartisan concerns and opportunities extend to affordability of care.

• The same Morning Consult poll showed 45% of Democrats and 38% of Republicans report paying much or somewhat more out-of-pocket to cover health care expenses, such as copays, deductibles and premiums, compared with four years ago.
  
  
• Based on Kaiser Family Foundation’s 2020 Employer Health Benefits Survey, workers are paying $5,588, on average, toward the cost of their coverage. For workers covered by a plan with a general annual deductible, that annual deductible has increased 25% over the past 5 years – from $1,318 in 2015 to $1,644 in 2020.
  
  
• Additionally, annual premiums for employer-sponsored family health coverage reached $21,342 in 2020, which is up 4% from 2019. Paying for care is an area of worry, with Democrats and Republicans both concerned about going into debt to pay for medical expenses (64% and 50%, respectively).

Solutions: Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike agree that we need common sense solutions to address the most pressing health issues and make health care more affordable.

• A majority of both Democratic and Republican voters – 90% – support solutions that would provide consumers with information on the costs of procedures in advance so that they can make informed decisions about their care.
  
  
• Similarly, 88% of Democrats and 87% of Republicans support setting fair prices for services, like MRIs, so that charges don’t widely vary based on health care facility.
  
  
• Voters also called for reducing wasteful spending in health care, by eliminating unnecessary procedures and duplicate testing, and lowering administration costs. 82% of Democratic and 86% of Republican voters support reducing wasteful spending in health care. A similar number of voters (86% for both parties) strongly support cutting down administration costs and overhead to hold down rising premiums and out-of-pocket costs.

 

Bottom line: The 2020 Election underscored that Americans are aligned on the need for market-based solutions as well as solutions that ensure everyone has access to quality and affordable health care coverage. Voters from both sides of the aisle want policymakers to address their health care concerns around coverage and affordability. PhRMA remains committed to advocating for effective policies that advance solutions to meet Americans where they are.    

Mark Keida

Mark Keida, Ph.D. is Vice President in Public Affairs. He leads PhRMA’s message and polling team, supporting advocacy communications, paid media campaigns and earned media. Mark specializes in using data to guide narrative, campaign strategy and tactics.

Mark Keida

Survey confirms too many insured Americans face barriers to reliable health care

April 22, 2026

Americans believe U.S. pharma leadership needs to be protected

February 26, 2026

50-state poll says Americans are concerned that hospital markups hurt patients

January 27, 2026

Health care practitioners sound the alarm on middlemen-imposed barriers to patient care, need for policy change

March 13, 2025

Reimagining patient access through meaningful policy reform

November 5, 2024

New PES survey: Out-of-pocket costs lead key health care priorities ahead of the November election

October 30, 2024

Americans speak out on health insurance barriers and need for policy change, according to the latest Patient Experience Survey

October 28, 2024

Where voters stand ahead of the election

October 16, 2024

Key voter insights two months from Election Day

September 10, 2024

Don’t put the government between patients and their medicines

August 7, 2024

Voters across all 50 states want state policymakers to focus on health insurance and PBM practices

July 30, 2024

New 50-state poll Americans want to hold health insurers and PBMs accountable for high out-of-pocket costs and other practices

July 9, 2024

The IRA could lead to higher out-of-pocket costs for 3.5 million Medicare patients in 2026

June 25, 2024

ICYMI: What patients care about this election year

June 24, 2024

Key election year voter insights

June 6, 2024

Ongoing federal probes shed light on PBM and insurer practices

May 20, 2024

WTAS: The consequences of consolidation and vertical integration

May 6, 2024

Insurance data: PBM reform has no material impact on premiums

April 24, 2024

ICYMI: Voter priorities this election season

April 18, 2024

Voter insights: Four things to know

March 7, 2024

Four years later, Maryland board still hasn’t delivered for patients

February 12, 2024

Setting the Record Straight: Comparing U.S. drug prices to those in foreign countries hurts patients

February 7, 2024

New poll: Americans agree that expanding the TRIPS waiver will harm U.S. global manufacturing and innovation leadership

January 29, 2024

ICYMI: When middlemen get in the way, it’s the patients who lose

December 5, 2023

WHO Pandemic Agreement offers opportunities and risks for American innovators

November 20, 2023

ICYMI: WSJ — Same Drug, Two Prices: Why the Higher Price Prevails

November 15, 2023

One year to Election Day: Four voter priorities to watch

November 6, 2023

ICYMI: Scott LaGanga and Matt Salo deliver a State of the Industry Report

October 25, 2023

New poll shows strong bipartisan support for PBM reform

October 20, 2023

What you should know about protecting your health this fall

October 16, 2023

ICYMI: Government watchdog report finds patients in Medicare Part D paid billions more for medicines than insurers and PBMs

September 28, 2023

Medicare Prescription Payment Plan will benefit patients if implemented correctly

September 21, 2023

What you need to know: COVID-19 public health emergency is over, but ideological attacks on IP remain

September 12, 2023

New PhRMA ad exposes yet another way PBMs get between patients and their medicines

September 5, 2023

Navigating the Patient Experience Survey: Protecting Lifelines to Access and Innovation

July 26, 2023

Three things to know from the latest Patient Experience Survey

July 20, 2023

Key considerations as Congress works towards PAHPA reauthorization

July 12, 2023

A conversation with Dr. Mike Ybarra on the current state of COVID-19

June 27, 2023

ICYMI: PBM exec admits choosing profits over patients

June 2, 2023

4 key facts on medicine prices and spending

May 9, 2023

4 Things to know about PhRMA’s new 50-state poll

May 4, 2023

Americans want state policymakers to lower out-of-pocket costs

May 1, 2023

Three facts about health care spending

April 25, 2023

What they are saying: Experts reinforce that TRIPS waiver expansion is harmful and unnecessary

April 13, 2023

States can support access to medicine as COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ends

April 5, 2023

Arkansas puts patients first with new share the savings law

April 4, 2023

PhRMA provides comments and testimony to USITC investigation on COVID-19 medicines and the TRIPS Agreement

March 30, 2023

Key Trends: Patient experience data reveal how insurers and middlemen impose barriers in health care

March 29, 2023

Celebrating the success of the COVID-19 vaccines, and looking to the future

March 27, 2023

PhRMA submits comments to OSTP on enhancing clinical trial diversity

March 21, 2023

What we’ve learned from three years of fighting COVID-19

March 20, 2023

Holding pharmacy benefit managers accountable

February 23, 2023

Stopping pharmacy benefit managers from “gaming the system”

February 22, 2023

Senate hearing to examine bipartisan reforms to rein in middlemen

February 16, 2023

Minnesota lawmakers are letting PBMs off the hook, and threatening patients’ access to medicines

January 31, 2023

U.S. must address IP and market access barriers abroad to protect American innovation

January 31, 2023

ICYMI: PhRMA kicks off the year at the 2023 J.P. Morgan Health Care Conference

January 19, 2023

In their own words: Insured Americans support policy reforms that address access and affordability concerns

December 14, 2022

In their own words: Financial barriers exacerbate access challenges for insured Americans

December 8, 2022

Word of the Month: What is TRIPS?

November 29, 2022

Putting Delaware patients first: Protecting Patient Assistance Programs

November 22, 2022

New data show how insurers and middlemen shift Rx costs onto patients

November 16, 2022

TRIPS waiver expansion risks public health

November 14, 2022

Expanding the WTO intellectual property waiver will hurt American jobs

November 9, 2022

In their own words: Insured Americans struggle to navigate complex coverage

October 26, 2022

Word of the Month: Long COVID

October 19, 2022

Many seniors are paying more for Part D medicines than their insurer

October 18, 2022

Protecting against influenza: A conversation with David Ross, Vice President, Commercial Operations, North America, CSL Seqirus

October 13, 2022

New comments outline ways to protect patients from health plans and PBMs who profit from patient assistance

October 7, 2022

Busting 3 Myths About Copay Coupons

October 5, 2022

Mental Illness Awareness Week – A time for reflection

October 3, 2022

A key fact the White House is reluctant to admit

September 27, 2022

A key fact the White House is reluctant to admit

September 27, 2022

Partnerships are driving global COVID-19 treatment access

September 22, 2022

The dangers of expanding the TRIPS waiver

September 19, 2022

Navigating the patient experience: Burdens and barriers standing between patients and their care

September 12, 2022

Making coupons count for patients at the pharmacy counter

August 25, 2022

ICYMI: New research builds upon growing body of evidence on value of COVID-19 treatments and vaccines

August 16, 2022

New survey: Voters seriously concerned about fine print in reconciliation bill

August 12, 2022

Making coupons count for patients with HIV

August 8, 2022

The Senate’s latest price setting proposal will undermine: Our health care system

July 28, 2022

The Senate’s latest price setting proposal will undermine: Patient access to medicines

July 26, 2022

Survey Says: Prescription drug prices are not fueling inflation concerns for Americans

July 22, 2022

ICYMI: PhRMA’s Ubl pens op-ed on IP waiver for COVID-19 technologies

July 15, 2022

Increase in drug-resistant superbugs during COVID-19 highlights need for policy reforms to address antimicrobial resistance

July 14, 2022

Putting patients first at the state level — A conversation with Mark Reisenauer, President of Astellas Pharma US

July 14, 2022

Polling continues to show voters reject so-called Medicare “negotiation” once they learn about consequences for patients

July 12, 2022

Patients win as West Virginia implements first-in-nation share the savings policy

July 8, 2022

3 things voters are concerned about when it comes to their health care coverage

July 7, 2022

COVID-19 vaccines and treatments helped save millions of lives and billions in health care costs

July 7, 2022

ICYMI: Antimicrobial resistance spotlighted as growing public health threat

July 6, 2022

Copay assistance is a lifeline for patients. So why are insurers blocking it?

June 29, 2022

Patients support state action requiring PBMs and insurers to share savings and cap costs for medicines

June 16, 2022

New poll shows voters sounding the alarm on health insurance companies and PBMs

June 6, 2022

PhRMA warns of the growing influence of middlemen over patient access and out-of-pocket costs for patients

May 31, 2022

Intellectual Property waiver on COVID-19 innovation is unnecessary and harmful

May 23, 2022

ICYMI: PhRMA CEO Stephen J. Ubl spotlights lessons learned during COVID-19

May 13, 2022

ICYMI: PhRMA COO Lori Reilly spotlights efforts to improve health care in 2022 and beyond

May 9, 2022

A conversation with Barry Greene, CEO of Sage Therapeutics

May 4, 2022

Study finds insurance barriers disproportionately burden patients with chronic illness

May 4, 2022

ICYMI: New resource catalogs biopharmaceutical industry lessons learned from COVID-19

April 28, 2022

What’s really happening when it comes to prescription drug costs

April 27, 2022

5 public opinion polling trends to watch

April 22, 2022

Analysis: States can help patients save nearly $1,000 annually on their medicines

April 21, 2022

New analysis confirms hospitals markup prices for oncology therapies

April 21, 2022

How standardized plans can improve patients’ access to medicines

April 18, 2022

The patient experience: Uncovering the barriers to care for insured Americans

March 28, 2022

Correcting the record: Putting medicine costs and spending in context

March 24, 2022

Sharing rebates can save Americans with diabetes 500 each year and improve adherence

March 16, 2022

If drug prices are growing below the rate of inflation, why are patients still feeling the sting at the pharmacy?

March 8, 2022

The patient experience: Insurance barriers continue to impede access to health care, especially among the country’s underserved

February 28, 2022

New Data: COVID-19 vaccine global production capacity projected to exceed 20 billion doses this year

February 24, 2022

What you need to know about newly authorized COVID-19 antiviral treatments

February 22, 2022

Guest post: Joining forces to combat the COVID-19 mental health crisis

February 17, 2022

Guest Blog: COVID-19 vaccines are the key to keeping kids healthy

February 16, 2022

Medicaid 101: Three charts on access and spending

February 3, 2022

Government price setting won’t stop insurers from shifting costs to patients

February 2, 2022

Protecting U.S. innovation abroad to support economic and pandemic recovery

February 1, 2022

New comments outline ways to counteract cost-shifting insurance trends

January 28, 2022

Patients need to pay less for their medicines. States can help.

January 26, 2022

It’s a new year, but sadly Congress is still pursuing flawed price setting policies

January 25, 2022

New poll of all 50 states and 435 Congressional Districts shows perils of so-called Medicare “negotiation”

January 25, 2022

ICYMI: New report demonstrates growing global impact of antimicrobial resistance

January 24, 2022

New study finds more than half of brand medicine spending goes to the supply chain and others

January 7, 2022

Making medicines more affordable: Making insurance work like insurance

December 8, 2021

Navigating the patient experience in the time of COVID-19

December 6, 2021

Global COVID-19 vaccination matters now and for the future

November 29, 2021

Insurance design barriers can impact patient adherence and can lead to poor health outcomes

November 23, 2021

What is missing in the current drug pricing plan

November 23, 2021

ICYMI: PhRMA CEO speaks at STAT Summit about government price setting

November 19, 2021

Making medicines more affordable: Sharing savings at the pharmacy counter

November 19, 2021

Three things to know about so-called Medicare negotiation polling

November 18, 2021

Understanding breakthrough COVID-19 infections

November 11, 2021

Making Medicines More Affordable: Making coupons count

November 5, 2021

What they are saying: Government price setting for medicines is not the answer

November 4, 2021

PhRMA submission to 2022 National Trade Estimate Report underscores need for pro-innovation U.S. trade policy to combat COVID-19

October 29, 2021

Four things to know from IQVIAs latest report

October 29, 2021

The patient experience: Insurance design hurdles lead to access issues for too many Americans

October 28, 2021

The patient experience: Out-of-pocket costs are driving patients affordability and access challenges

October 19, 2021

New poll shows Americans reject Medicare negotiation once they learn more about the policy

October 15, 2021

What is Kaiser Family Foundation up to?

October 12, 2021

New report shows 3 in 10 Americans that have insurance still face a financial barrier to care

October 7, 2021

The important role of antivirals in the fight against COVID-19

October 6, 2021

Understanding Long COVID-19

September 29, 2021

Industry leaders discuss the impact of the drug pricing debate

September 23, 2021

Five reasons tying VA prices to Medicare Part D misses the mark

September 22, 2021

America’s biopharmaceutical companies to Congress: Government “negotiation” is the wrong approach

September 15, 2021

A year and a half later: The biopharmaceutical industry remains committed to beating COVID-19

September 8, 2021

The impact of monoclonal antibodies and COVID-19 recovery

September 2, 2021

Recognizing National Immunization Awareness Month

August 31, 2021

Recent polling misrepresents public support for Medicare “negotiation”

August 31, 2021

Driving further innovation is critical to global vaccine equity

August 24, 2021

Myth vs. fact: Polling and Medicare “negotiation”

August 12, 2021

Supporting country readiness to boost global vaccine access

August 12, 2021

Ensuring global vaccine equity requires eliminating trade and regulatory barriers

August 5, 2021

ICYMI: Event spotlights how we can make Medicare work better for patients

August 4, 2021

Setting the record straight: Addressing common misconceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine

August 4, 2021

The future of the rebate rule: Will policymakers stand with patients?

August 2, 2021

Celebrating Medicare’s 56th anniversary

July 30, 2021

Increasing global access to vaccines by optimizing production

July 29, 2021

Guest post: Retired medics return to the field to take on vaccine delivery and disaster relief

July 23, 2021

Guest Post: A patient’s story of the long-term health impacts of COVID-19

July 21, 2021

3 factors impacting medication adherence for patients with diabetes

July 20, 2021

Dose sharing as a part of the COVID-19 global vaccine equity strategy

July 20, 2021

Promoting global vaccine equity while protecting innovation

July 15, 2021

Data shows voters strongly support protecting access to their medicines

July 15, 2021

Data shows COVID-19 vaccines are creating a pathway to a strong U.S. recovery

July 2, 2021

PhRMA awards $75,000 to fund initiatives to reduce health inequities

July 1, 2021

More than 800 medicines are in development for diseases that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic communities

June 22, 2021

Americans 12 years of age and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines

June 17, 2021

PhRMA hosts first stakeholder workshop on clinical trial diversity

June 11, 2021

Coming together to fight COVID-19: A conversation with Barry Greene, CEO of Sage Therapeutics

June 9, 2021

New reports shed light on key facts about medicines and affordability

June 8, 2021

A year later: Reflections on the meaning of equity

May 25, 2021

Out-of-pocket trends in Medicare Part D show rising costs for seniors

May 24, 2021

ICYMI: PhRMA president and CEO Stephen J. Ubl joins other industry leaders for a conversation on COVID-19 vaccines with Axios

May 21, 2021

Supporting India during the devastating coronavirus surge

May 20, 2021

Study finds nearly half of payers believe innovative contracts can lead to lower patient out-of-pocket costs

May 17, 2021

New polling shows Americans are sounding the alarm on the TRIPS IP waiver

May 14, 2021

The Biden Administration allows politics to upend a pragmatic pandemic response

May 14, 2021

Four solutions Americans support to make health care more affordable

May 13, 2021

PhRMA CAREs Grant request for proposals: Addressing inequities in access to COVID-19 testing, therapeutics and vaccines

May 6, 2021

Ron Busby, Sr., President and CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. on improving vaccine confidence in community

May 5, 2021

Reflecting on Mental Health Awareness Month

May 4, 2021

American leadership on innovation policy is essential to global health progress

May 4, 2021

New data from insurers show detriments of copay accumulator adjustment programs

April 28, 2021

Patient safety is at the heart of COVID-19 vaccine R&D

April 26, 2021

Data shows that Americans are relying on vaccines to get us through the pandemic

April 22, 2021

West Virginia becomes the first state to lower patient costs by sharing the savings

April 20, 2021

ICYMI: New CBO Report highlights biopharmaceutical leadership in the development of new treatments and cures

April 12, 2021

Diversifying clinical trials and fighting disease requires equity and trust

April 12, 2021

Data shows that keeping a strong biopharmaceutical industry is important to Americans

March 30, 2021

Building confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine through education

March 22, 2021

ICYMI: WSJ showcases breakthrough science of COVID-19 vaccines and implications for future medicines

March 8, 2021

Intellectual property is the key to vaccine development, manufacturing and technology sharing

March 5, 2021

Nearly 40% of commercially insured patients face half their annual out-of-pocket expenses from just one health care encounter

March 2, 2021

Coming together to fight COVID-19: A conversation with Paul Perreault, CEO and Managing Director of CSL

February 24, 2021