New Survey Shows Voters Are Struggling with Inflation, Negatively Impacted by High Healthcare Costs, and Supportive of Policies that Expand Affordable Health Coverage.

July 2022 – A new survey sponsored by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) finds many voters are tired of “just getting by” and worried about inflation and rising costs, including healthcare costs.1 Half of voters say they are putting off medical care or making other sacrifices to avoid incurring healthcare costs and 49% have current or past medical debt.

Voters are looking for relief from healthcare costs and there is bipartisan support for government action. Specifically, they want government to prioritize making healthcare more affordable and protecting people’s access to health coverage during this period of high inflation. This includes efforts to make health coverage on the Marketplace (Obamacare) more affordable, including making the increased premium tax credits passed during the pandemic into a permanent policy. There is also strong bipartisan support for Medicaid expansion in the 12 states that have not yet expanded the program. And when they learn millions could lose Medicaid at the end of the year when the Public Health Emergency is declared over, there is bipartisan support for states taking steps to help eligible people keep their health coverage.

Importantly, voters who have cancer or who have had cancer in the past are consistent throughout the survey in their support for policies that make healthcare more affordable and extend coverage to more people. They understand the importance of access to affordable healthcare and coverage. Following are key findings from the survey: