Pollsters have been busy this year tracking public sentiment around the top issues of concern for voters. Recent public polling shows that voters priorities have shifted dramatically over the course of the year. With the election less than two weeks away, what is truly on the top of voter’s minds?
- The economy and coronavirus are voters’ top priorities. Recent health tracking polls from organizations such as Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard-Politico show how issues of the economy, COVID-19, racial equity and education have moved to the top of the list. For example, the Kaiser Family Foundation poll released in mid-October shows about three-in-ten registered voters (29%) saying the economy is most important in deciding their vote for president; the coronavirus pandemic is second among all issues, with about one-fifth of voters (18%) citing it as their deciding factor.
As COVID-19 remains among the top issues for voters, our member companies remain focused on achieving one common goal: finding solutions to diagnose, treat, prevent and ultimately end this global pandemic. For decades, the innovative biopharmaceutical industry has continuously pushed the boundaries of science, investing in new technology, research and treatments that help advance medicine, which has enabled us to quickly ramp up the process to find potential treatments and vaccines for COVID-19. We are also working to expand manufacturing capabilities, increase testing and provide financial support and resources.
Additionally, the biopharmaceutical industry has long been an innovation and economic driver in the United States. In fact, since 2000, PhRMA member companies have invested nearly $1 trillion in the search for new treatments and cures, including an estimated $83 billion in 2019 alone and supporting four million U.S. jobs.
- Outside of coronavirus, health care has fallen down the list and ranks 4th as an issue for voters. Not including the coronavirus, health care is “no longer a top issue for voters” according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. This is a big shift from earlier in the year, when Kaiser Family Foundation noted health care was “consistently rated as one of thetop issues for voters and was the top issue for Democratic primary voters in all of the seventeen Democratic contests.” Now, universally across demographics and party lines, health care has dropped in importance – a full 14-point reduction overall since February. Voters’ focus has shifted to criminal justice and policing and race relations, in addition to the economy and coronavirus.
- Among health care issues specifically, voters care most about protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions, the future of reproductive health and health care affordability. For voters who identified health care as the most important issue informing their vote, “protections for people with pre-existing conditions” topped the list as the most important priority. “Lowering the cost of health care for individuals” comes in third. The lowest priority tested is “lowering prescription drug costs.”
While overall drug costs remain in line with inflation, more and more Americans are facing higher out-of-pocket costs as a result of changes in insurance benefit design. To truly fix the system and address patient affordability challenges, we need long-term solutions like lowering patient cost sharing, reforming the rebate system, and requiring plans to count cost-sharing assistance toward deductibles and out-of-pocket limits rather than excluding it from these calculations.
Ahead of Election Day, and as policymakers consider changes to the health care system, they should have all the facts about where voter priorities truly are. PhRMA will continue advocating to help fixing the health care system so that it works better for patients.
Priscilla VanderVeer
is former Vice President, Public Affairs, where she led the development, execution and management of public affairs and communications strategies and activities for PhRMA’s key state, federal and international advocacy priorities. She has more than two decades of experience communicating important health care issues to a wide variety of audiences, including medical, health and patient advocates, policymakers, opinion-leaders and the public.
Priscilla VanderVeer
Survey confirms too many insured Americans face barriers to reliable health care
Americans believe U.S. pharma leadership needs to be protected
50-state poll says Americans are concerned that hospital markups hurt patients
Health care practitioners sound the alarm on middlemen-imposed barriers to patient care, need for policy change
New PES survey: Out-of-pocket costs lead key health care priorities ahead of the November election
Americans speak out on health insurance barriers and need for policy change, according to the latest Patient Experience Survey
Where voters stand ahead of the election
Key voter insights two months from Election Day
Voters across all 50 states want state policymakers to focus on health insurance and PBM practices
New 50-state poll Americans want to hold health insurers and PBMs accountable for high out-of-pocket costs and other practices
ICYMI: What patients care about this election year
Key election year voter insights
ICYMI: Voter priorities this election season
Voter insights: Four things to know
New poll: Americans agree that expanding the TRIPS waiver will harm U.S. global manufacturing and innovation leadership
One year to Election Day: Four voter priorities to watch
New poll shows strong bipartisan support for PBM reform
Navigating the Patient Experience Survey: Protecting Lifelines to Access and Innovation
Three things to know from the latest Patient Experience Survey
4 Things to know about PhRMA’s new 50-state poll
Americans want state policymakers to lower out-of-pocket costs
Key Trends: Patient experience data reveal how insurers and middlemen impose barriers in health care
In their own words: Insured Americans support policy reforms that address access and affordability concerns
In their own words: Financial barriers exacerbate access challenges for insured Americans
In their own words: Insured Americans struggle to navigate complex coverage
Mental Illness Awareness Week – A time for reflection
Navigating the patient experience: Burdens and barriers standing between patients and their care
New survey: Voters seriously concerned about fine print in reconciliation bill
Survey Says: Prescription drug prices are not fueling inflation concerns for Americans
Polling continues to show voters reject so-called Medicare “negotiation” once they learn about consequences for patients
3 things voters are concerned about when it comes to their health care coverage
Patients support state action requiring PBMs and insurers to share savings and cap costs for medicines
New poll shows voters sounding the alarm on health insurance companies and PBMs
Study finds insurance barriers disproportionately burden patients with chronic illness
5 public opinion polling trends to watch
The patient experience: Uncovering the barriers to care for insured Americans
The patient experience: Insurance barriers continue to impede access to health care, especially among the country’s underserved
New poll of all 50 states and 435 Congressional Districts shows perils of so-called Medicare “negotiation”
Navigating the patient experience in the time of COVID-19
Insurance design barriers can impact patient adherence and can lead to poor health outcomes
ICYMI: PhRMA CEO speaks at STAT Summit about government price setting
Three things to know about so-called Medicare negotiation polling
The patient experience: Insurance design hurdles lead to access issues for too many Americans
The patient experience: Out-of-pocket costs are driving patients affordability and access challenges
New poll shows Americans reject Medicare negotiation once they learn more about the policy
What is Kaiser Family Foundation up to?
New report shows 3 in 10 Americans that have insurance still face a financial barrier to care
Recent polling misrepresents public support for Medicare “negotiation”
Myth vs. fact: Polling and Medicare “negotiation”
Data shows voters strongly support protecting access to their medicines
Data shows COVID-19 vaccines are creating a pathway to a strong U.S. recovery
New polling shows Americans are sounding the alarm on the TRIPS IP waiver
Four solutions Americans support to make health care more affordable
Data shows that Americans are relying on vaccines to get us through the pandemic
Data shows that keeping a strong biopharmaceutical industry is important to Americans
Top five issues voters want addressed in the administration’s first 100 days
Growing trend: Increased vaccine confidence
The latest misleading “poll” on drug pricing
Election insights: Common ground areas to address Americans’ health care concerns
Election insights: Voter priorities in the states
Insights from the election: Meeting voters where they are on health care
Deep dive: The issues that drove the 2020 vote
Voters want to address the real drivers of health care costs for patients and the system
Three things you should know about recent health care polling
Polling
Three things you should know about recent health care polling
Three things you should know about recent health care polling