Health care has always been a hot-button issue in American politics, and in the midst of an increasingly acrimonious presidential campaign, it is no surprise that voters are concerned about the rising costs of medical care. Tom Zawierucha, a 58-year-old building services worker in New Jersey, is one of many Americans who wish that candidates would focus more on protecting older Americans from big medical bills. Teresa Morton, a 43-year-old freight dispatcher in Memphis, Tennessee, is worried about how elected officials would help working Americans burdened with unaffordable deductibles. Yessica Gray, a 28-year-old customer support representative in Wisconsin, is struggling with high drug prices and medical bills that have driven her and her husband deep into debt.
Despite the fact that health care hasn’t been a prominent issue in the current presidential campaign, national surveys show that Americans are still intensely worried about paying for medical care. In a recent nationwide poll conducted by West Health and Gallup, two out of three U.S. adults expressed concerns that a major health event would land them in debt. A similar share of respondents said that health care isn’t receiving enough attention in the campaign.
To gain a better understanding of voters’ health care concerns as the 2024 campaign nears its end, KFF Health News collaborated with research firm PerryUndem to conduct focus groups with 16 people from across the country. The focus group participants represented a diverse range of political views, with some favoring Republican candidates and others Democrats. However, almost all of them shared a common complaint: neither presidential candidate has addressed how they would help people struggling to pay for medical care.
Bob Groegler, a 46-year-old residential financing worker in eastern Pennsylvania, expressed his concerns about the lack of attention to health care costs in the campaign. He worries that he may never be able to retire because he won’t have enough money to cover his medical bills. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, has not offered a detailed health care agenda, although he has criticized current laws and claimed to have concepts for improving the Affordable Care Act. Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, has outlined more detailed health care proposals, including building on legislation signed by President Joe Biden to lower patients’ bills.
In 2022, Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which limits how much Medicare enrollees must pay out-of-pocket for prescription drugs and provides additional federal aid to help Americans purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. However, this aid will expire unless Congress and the president renew it next year. Harris has pledged to expand this aid and advocate for new assistance to Medicare enrollees who require home care. She has also promised to continue federal efforts to relieve medical debt, which burdens approximately 100 million people in the country.
Despite these proposals, many focus group participants admitted that they knew little about them and expressed skepticism that either Harris or Trump would do much to alleviate the burden of medical bills. Renata Bobakova, a 46-year-old teacher and mother outside Cleveland, voiced her concerns about the unpredictability of medical costs and the constant worry it brings. She recounted how she went back to Europe to give birth to her daughter a decade ago to avoid the crippling medical debt she would have incurred in the United States.
The high cost of medical care in the U.S. has led some individuals to seek cheaper prescription drugs outside the country. Research shows that the U.S. has the highest medical prices in the world. Participants like Kevin Gaudette, a 64-year-old retired semiconductor engineer in North Carolina, blamed large hospitals, drug companies, and insurers for blocking efforts to lower patients’ costs to protect their profits. Martha Chapman, a 64-year-old retired resident of Philadelphia, pointed to corporate greed as a major factor in perpetuating high medical costs.
As the campaign draws to a close, PerryUndem co-founder Michael Perry highlighted the challenge for Harris in addressing voters’ health care concerns. Despite her efforts to emphasize policy and economic struggles in her campaign, many focus group participants, including Democratic-leaning individuals, felt that neither candidate had adequately addressed health care issues. The general sentiment was that voters do not feel listened to on this critical issue.
Despite their frustrations, many participants expressed hope that health care would eventually receive the attention it deserves from elected officials, regardless of political affiliation. Zawierucha, the building services worker in New Jersey, emphasized the importance of having peace of mind when it comes to medical care expenses. He, along with many others, urged elected officials to prioritize addressing the high costs of health care and provide relief to Americans struggling to pay for medical services.
In conclusion, health care remains a pressing concern for many Americans, and the lack of attention to this issue in the current presidential campaign has left voters feeling unheard and frustrated. As the campaign nears its end, it is crucial for elected officials to address the rising costs of medical care and provide solutions to alleviate the burden on individuals and families across the country. Only by prioritizing health care and working towards affordable and accessible medical services can elected officials truly address the needs and concerns of the American people.
