not used title
not used title
As policymakers race to pass government price setting policies, it’s important to examine true public sentiment around such proposals. Voters have made clear that they do not support policies such as so-called Medicare “negotiation” once they learn how these policies threaten patient access and future innovation.
Key public polling findings that underscore this include:
- A March 2022 Ipsos/PhRMA poll reveals that only 14% of Americans would support government negotiation of some drug prices if it could limit people’s access to newer prescription medicines and only 15% would support if it could delay access.
- Data from the same March 2022 Ipsos/PhRMA poll found that seniors specifically overwhelmingly reject government negotiation when they learn it threatens access and future innovation. Support among seniors is just 10% when they learn the policy could delay people’s access to new medicines.
- According to a 50-state Morning Consult/PhRMA poll, two-thirds of Americans (66%) oppose government negotiation to address health care costs if it could take away power from doctors to prescribe the medicines that best meet the needs of their patients, and instead puts the government in charge of those decisions.
- Independent polling reveals that 72% of Americans oppose government negotiation if it results in fewer new medicines being developed in the future. That is notable considering some estimates show that recent price setting proposals could sacrifice more than 100 new treatments over the next two decades.
Public polling repeatedly underscores voters’ real challenges when it comes to their health care and the patient-centered solutions they want Congress to prioritize. And when it comes to so-called government “negotiation,” voters have been clear that the more they learn about the trade-offs to patients, the more support for the policy plummets. The health care solutions voters do value focus on common-sense solutions that address their genuine concerns by prioritizing lowering patient out-of-pocket costs and increasing predictability and transparency.
Tell Congress: Patients deserve better.
Learn more about how we’re working together to improve the health care system at PhRMA.org/BetterWay.
Get more information and see resources around public opinion polling at PhRMA.org/Polling.
Tom Wilbur
Tom Wilbur is Deputy Vice President of Public Affairs at PhRMA where he leads the state public affairs team and Voters for Cures, PhRMA’s grassroots advocacy initiative. Prior to joining PhRMA in 2019, Tom served as a senior aide on Capitol Hill for U.S. Rep. Fred Upton and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Tom holds an M.A. in strategic communications from Michigan State University and a B.A. in social science and history from Central Michigan University. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, volunteering, reading and golfing.
Author Twitter
Author LinkedIn
New poll: 2 in 3 voters prefer a candidate committed to lowering health insurance premiums
September 18, 2026
What AARP isn’t telling seniors about MFN
August 24, 2026
Policymakers should improve patient access and reject price controls
August 18, 2026
CMS proposal could discourage patient-centered innovation
August 18, 2026
Nearly 1 in 4 patients initially denied access to IRA medicines
August 6, 2026
Voters continue to voice their concerns on government price controls
July 24, 2026
Medicare Part D at 20: Building on a strong foundation
July 23, 2026
Guest Blog: Price controls won’t lower costs when insurers control access
June 25, 2026
MFN could disrupt the affordable medicines patients depend on
June 18, 2026
New “America Cures” ad: U.S. patients get new medicines first
June 15, 2026
Patients speak out: MFN won't address my affordability concerns
June 4, 2026
MFN price controls threaten American jobs and the U.S. economy
May 28, 2026
Ahead of ASCO: Cancer innovation is promising, but policy choices matter
May 26, 2026
State price-setting boards create more questions than answers
May 20, 2026
New analysis highlights access to new medicines in the United States and abroad
May 13, 2026
MFN won’t lower costs when insurers call the shots
May 8, 2026
Guest Blog: How MFN price controls could decide my health care
April 30, 2026
MFN price controls would drain pensions and put retirements at risk
April 23, 2026
Survey confirms too many insured Americans face barriers to reliable health care
April 22, 2026
States should avoid repeating the IRA’s price‑setting mistakes
April 21, 2026
CMS undermines medical progress with MFN price controls
April 16, 2026
Trump Administration’s efforts to have other countries pay their fair share are underway
April 15, 2026
CMS’ MFN proposals won’t help seniors despite lofty promises
April 9, 2026
Voters voice concerns on government price controls
April 7, 2026
Virginia should be cautious about importing federal price-setting mechanisms
April 1, 2026
Policymakers shouldn’t double down on the IRA’s flaws with MFN
March 30, 2026
Insurers routinely block seniors’ access to medicines in Medicare Part D
March 18, 2026
MFN drug pricing risks reviving a harmful metric the U.S. rejected
March 16, 2026
Leadership in biopharmaceutical R&D provides U.S. patients the greatest access to innovative medicines
March 11, 2026
Harmful U.S. policies will help drive China’s global leadership in biopharmaceutical innovation
March 4, 2026
Americans believe U.S. pharma leadership needs to be protected
February 26, 2026
MFN undermines U.S. biopharmaceutical innovation
February 25, 2026
CMS puts patients and innovation at risk with MFN
February 24, 2026
New list of selected drugs highlights growing consequences of government price setting
January 28, 2026
50-state poll says Americans are concerned that hospital markups hurt patients
January 27, 2026
Price setting policies put cancer gains in jeopardy
January 16, 2026
Guest blog: Making the most of the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan
December 8, 2025
Myth vs. Fact: How government price setting impacts innovation
November 24, 2025
The IRA’s price setting doesn’t guarantee lower costs or better access
November 17, 2025
PhRMA calls on USTR to ensure foreign nations pay their fair share
November 4, 2025
What seniors can expect this open enrollment
October 14, 2025
Part D premiums are going up, while choices are going down
October 8, 2025
Why states struggle to deliver savings: Middlemen and 340B siphon dollars from patients and states
September 15, 2025
Delivering breakthroughs and lower costs for patients
September 8, 2025
Celebrating 60 Years of Medicare
July 30, 2025
Medicare patients face higher drug costs, despite IRA promises
July 22, 2025
CMS continues to make a bad law worse
June 27, 2025
ICYMI: Forget Foreign Price Controls: There’s a better solution to lowering drug prices
June 26, 2025
Americans are paying a 26% freerider tax on medicines because other countries don’t pay their fair share
June 17, 2025
Medicare Part D plans initially denied medicines for more than 70% of patients in four chronic disease areas
June 16, 2025
New “Balance the Scales” campaign highlights why Americans pay more for prescription medicines
May 21, 2025
Foreign first pricing schemes don’t address why Americans pay more
May 15, 2025
New analysis: Fewer treatments and cures under the IRA’s pill penalty
May 1, 2025
How the IRA is impacting the generic drug market
April 8, 2025
Three reasons Congress should fix the IRA’s pill penalty
March 24, 2025
Health care practitioners sound the alarm on middlemen-imposed barriers to patient care, need for policy change
March 13, 2025
Improved treatments continue to lead to declining cancer mortality rates in the U.S.
February 25, 2025
Biopharmaceutical innovation for a healthier America: PhRMA releases new innovation report
February 21, 2025
New policy agenda charts solutions for a healthier America
February 20, 2025
A successful PhRMA Forum highlights our commitment to a healthier America
February 20, 2025
CMS, don’t fall behind the rest of the medical community on obesity
February 14, 2025
Virginia, Don't Let Politicians Take Away Your Medicine
January 23, 2025
Patients are losing as government price setting continues
January 17, 2025
PhRMA CEOs Tee Up Next Week's Health Care Conference
January 11, 2025
A new administration poses new opportunities for patient access
December 17, 2024
Post-approval R&D is critical for fighting cancer. The IRA makes it more difficult.
November 13, 2024
Reimagining patient access through meaningful policy reform
November 5, 2024
CMS needs to do better
November 4, 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
Is CMS paying attention to the growing access barriers for Medicare patients under the IRA?
October 18, 2024
Where voters stand ahead of the election
October 16, 2024
7 reasons why states shouldn’t copy the IRA’s price setting mistake
October 15, 2024
Did the administration consider the importance of blood cancer medicines to patients in price setting process?
October 8, 2024
Did the administration consider the importance of blood clot medicines to patients in the price setting process?
September 25, 2024
Three ways state drug price setting boards fail patients
September 18, 2024
The Inflation Reduction Act could increase costs and reduce access for millions of seniors
September 17, 2024
Are the IRA’s Part B inflation rebates lowering costs for Medicare patients? No.
September 16, 2024
Did the administration consider the importance of autoimmune disease medicines to patients in price setting process?
September 11, 2024
Key voter insights two months from Election Day
September 10, 2024
Did the administration consider the value of innovative diabetes medicines in price setting process?
August 28, 2024
New survey: Insurers confirm IRA will reduce patient treatment options
August 20, 2024
The unintended consequences of government price setting in Medicare Part D
August 16, 2024
Don’t put the government between patients and their medicines
August 7, 2024
Biosimilars continue to drive market competition and increase savings for seniors
August 6, 2024
What is the low-income subsidy program and how is it changing?
July 31, 2024
Voters across all 50 states want state policymakers to focus on health insurance and PBM practices
July 30, 2024
Case study: How seniors could face access disruptions because of the IRA’s price setting provisions
July 22, 2024
WTAS: Voters voice concerns about PBM abuses, call on policymakers to act
July 19, 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
PhRMA reiterates concerns with IRA price setting program, urges CMS to mitigate harm
July 3, 2024
More than 60 researchers advocate on Capitol Hill
July 1, 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
ICYMI: Health care policy should be driven by patients, not politics
June 10, 2024
ICYMI: Misaligned policies undermine patient access
June 6, 2024
Key election year voter insights
June 6, 2024
ICYMI: Innovation transforms lives but misguided federal policies threaten patient outcomes
May 30, 2024
How the IRA is more coercive than any European government price setting scheme
May 29, 2024
Mental Health Awareness Month: Supporting loved ones and improving mental health in America
May 28, 2024
How government price setting fails to address systemic health care inequities
May 24, 2024
Government price-setting boards: Why Minnesota needs to take a better approach
May 9, 2024
IRA is already negatively impacting access to medicines in Part D
April 25, 2024
Government price setting won’t help patients in Illinois
April 22, 2024
ICYMI: Voter priorities this election season
April 18, 2024
New study finds insurers and PBMs increasing access restrictions in Medicare Part D
April 16, 2024
New analysis: Flawed assessments of a medicine’s value jeopardize patient access
April 11, 2024
3 Takeaways from POLITICO’s Health Care Summit
April 3, 2024
ICYMI: More evidence of the IRA’s harmful consequences on post-approval research and development
March 25, 2024
Colorado is proof: Too many unanswered questions remain about state government price setting's impact on patients and providers
March 14, 2024
Voter insights: Four things to know
March 7, 2024
Watch: A conversation with Dr. Mike Ybarra on Rare Disease Day
February 29, 2024
American Heart Month: A nurse’s perspective
February 27, 2024
The truth about Nebraska's price setting push
February 13, 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
As the administration continues to falsely claim Medicare “negotiation,” keep these points in mind
February 1, 2024
Powering the next generation of therapies: A conversation with Astellas US President Mark Reisenauer
January 30, 2024
New poll: Americans agree that expanding the TRIPS waiver will harm U.S. global manufacturing and innovation leadership
January 29, 2024
When it comes to the future of innovation, the ball is in policymakers’ court
January 22, 2024
Biosimilars drive savings, but the IRA undermines their development
December 14, 2023
New analysis of patient access restrictions in the United Kingdom
November 21, 2023
The IRA’s pill penalty threatens the future of oncology R&D
November 16, 2023
ICYMI: WSJ — Same Drug, Two Prices: Why the Higher Price Prevails
November 15, 2023
Don't close the door on rare disease research
November 13, 2023
ICYMI: 3 takeaways on the IRA’s unintended consequences from America’s Physician Groups’ 2023 annual fall conference
November 6, 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
R&D leaders to Biden Administration: Your policies are undermining the Cancer Moonshot
October 18, 2023
Three things economists are saying about the Inflation Reduction Act
October 11, 2023
4 truths about state government price setting
October 10, 2023
ICYMI: Government watchdog report finds patients in Medicare Part D paid billions more for medicines than insurers and PBMs
September 28, 2023
Word of the Month: AMR
September 27, 2023
IRA threatens seniors’ access to robust treatment options
September 26, 2023
Medicare Prescription Payment Plan will benefit patients if implemented correctly
September 21, 2023
New analysis shows PBMs use fees as a profit center
September 18, 2023
Correcting the record: IRA’s government price setting provisions are unconstitutional
September 8, 2023
New PhRMA ad exposes yet another way PBMs get between patients and their medicines
September 5, 2023
IRA changes to Part D risk access to medicines
August 24, 2023
Three concerns about Colorado's approach to government price setting
August 23, 2023
With the first list of medicines out, let’s not forget why government price setting is bad policy
August 22, 2023
Michigan proposal jeopardizes access to medicines
August 21, 2023
One year later IRAs unintended consequences are becoming reality
August 16, 2023
AARP’s latest misleading report
August 11, 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
New report shows high-impact R&D happens after cancer medicines are first approved
July 10, 2023
More than 60 researchers ask Congress to support innovation
June 26, 2023
New report shows how the Inflation Reduction Act stifles innovation for small molecule medicines
June 22, 2023
ASCO 2023: Protecting our progress in the fight against cancer
June 15, 2023
Highlights from ASCO 2023
June 8, 2023
Four things for CMS to keep in mind as they implement changes to Part D
June 7, 2023
Addressing Mental Health: A conversation with Barry Greene, CEO of Sage Therapeutics
May 30, 2023
Mental Health Awareness Month: Fighting the growing mental health crisis and supporting innovation
May 11, 2023
4 key facts on medicine prices and spending
May 9, 2023
Support for continued progress is critical for pediatric drug development
May 8, 2023
4 Things to know about PhRMA’s new 50-state poll
May 4, 2023
New resource underscores the importance of small molecule medicines
May 4, 2023
Americans want state policymakers to lower out-of-pocket costs
May 1, 2023
Policies need to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance
April 28, 2023
Three facts about health care spending
April 25, 2023
AHIP’s latest misinformation campaign & what it’s trying to hide
April 24, 2023
CMS guidance on IRA price setting process doubles down on bad policy
April 14, 2023
A guide to MedPAC’s Part B vote today
April 13, 2023
New global analysis shows patient access challenges around the world
April 12, 2023
ICYMI: PhRMA President and CEO Stephen J. Ubl discusses patient affordability
April 7, 2023
MedPAC proposal threatens access to medicines in Part B
April 6, 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
CMS coverage policy is detrimental to Alzheimer’s patients
April 4, 2023
How Part B’s ASP system helps control costs for the government and seniors
March 30, 2023
Key Trends: Patient experience data reveal how insurers and middlemen impose barriers in health care
March 29, 2023
New Report: More than 400 medicines in development for leading chronic conditions affecting older Americans
March 28, 2023
Medicare Part B spending in four points
March 28, 2023
Celebrating the success of the COVID-19 vaccines, and looking to the future
March 27, 2023
IRA Impacts: Cancer treatment research and development
March 23, 2023
Celebrating 40 years of the Orphan Drug Act on Rare Disease Day
February 28, 2023
Holding pharmacy benefit managers accountable
February 23, 2023
Stopping pharmacy benefit managers from “gaming the system”
February 22, 2023
ICYMI: PhRMA kicks off the year at the 2023 J.P. Morgan Health Care Conference
January 19, 2023
WTAS: Inflation Reduction Act already impacting R&D decisions
January 17, 2023
In their own words: Insured Americans support policy reforms that address access and affordability concerns
December 14, 2022
ICYMI: PhRMA COO Lori Reilly speaks about the health care agenda for the next Congress
December 9, 2022
In their own words: Financial barriers exacerbate access challenges for insured Americans
December 8, 2022
Medicare Part D open enrollment and what recent changes mean for beneficiaries
November 17, 2022
New government price setting policy threatens post-approval research
November 10, 2022
In their own words: Insured Americans struggle to navigate complex coverage
October 26, 2022
Many seniors are paying more for Part D medicines than their insurer
October 18, 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
Navigating the patient experience: Burdens and barriers standing between patients and their care
September 12, 2022
Rejecting ICER’s bad advice
September 9, 2022
CMS coverage policies restrict patient access to important treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease
September 1, 2022
New survey: Voters seriously concerned about fine print in reconciliation bill
August 12, 2022