What Kind of Health Care Do Americans Want? They Don't Even Know

Introduction

Voters in the 2018 midterm elections named health care as the most important issue facing the country. However, a Policygenius survey suggests Americans are divided on the fix. Public opinion is almost evenly split: 51% of Americans support privatized health care, while 49% support a fully government-funded option.

Image Description: A graph showing the split in public opinion on privatized versus government-funded health care.

Demographic Breakdown

Clear lines emerge when you break the survey data down by demographic. People without health insurance are more likely to support public health care, as are younger Americans. These responses aren’t surprising given that younger people and lower-income people stand to benefit the most from government-funded health care.

“If we did have universal health care like some of the European countries or Canada, I think that would honestly better suit our nation as a whole,” says Melissa Penton, 31, a full-time student in an accelerated nursing program in Dallas. She quit her job in August to pursue her degree and can’t afford any of the plans on Healthcare.gov. In other states, she might qualify for Medicaid, the federal-and-state-funded health insurance program for low-income needy Americans and their families, but Texas declined to expand the program to cover all low-income people. Penton's school requires her to have health coverage, and she’s considering buying a short-term health plan.

Image Description: Infographic showing the demographic breakdown of health care preferences.

Reasons for the Divide

Health care has been a point of public contention in the U.S. for decades as accessibility to private plans — which a plurality of Americans still rely on — narrowed and the cost of medical services climbed. But the partisan divide over solutions widened since the passage of President Barack Obama’s signature health care law in 2010. And tensions came to a fever pitch in 2017 when Republicans took over all three branches of government and pushed to overturn it.

The heightened political climate — and the various media narratives driven by partisan bickering — clearly influenced Americans’ opinions. Support for various health care systems mirrors the more common political party log lines, with Republicans most likely to get behind fully privatized health care and Democrats most likely to support a public program akin to Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Medicare-for-all.

Image Description: Infographic showing the partisan divide in health care preferences.

Confusion Among Americans

It’s also left many Americans confused. Case in point: 52% of survey respondents who said they don’t support Obamacare said they would most support a private health care system with a safety net for the old, sick, and poor — an albeit simplistic descriptor for what the law actually is.

Meanwhile, just over 28% of Americans in favor of public health care weren’t willing to pay anything to fund the program. About one-third would only pay up to $2,000 a month.

Sanders has made it clear that his social insurance program — like Medicare itself — won’t come free. His plan includes a 2.2% income-based premium and an income tax increase on households making more than $250,000.

Image Description: Infographic showing the confusion among Americans about health care systems.

Fixing a Broken System

Expect the divide to persist for years. Voters may have gone to the polls with health care in mind, but the outcome of the last election — a split Congress — doesn’t lend itself to fast solutions. Due to the divided government, major changes at the national level are unlikely anytime soon, but we may see expansions in coverage at the state level. Legislators in states like New York and California are considering bills to establish single-payer health care systems.

Image Description: Infographic showing potential state-level health care reforms.

Conclusion

Americans remain deeply divided on the type of health care system that would best serve the nation. With ongoing political and social debates, the future of health care in the U.S. remains uncertain. For now, individuals in need of health insurance should explore their options, including checking eligibility for subsidized care.

Image Description: Infographic showing different health care options available to Americans.