88% are "shocked" by how much their
healthcare costs have increased in the past four years
Respondents say next president should focus
on Medicare sustainability and address medical and prescription
drug costs
AUSTIN,
Texas, Sept. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With the
presidential election less than two months away, new research
published today by eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) (eHealth.com), a
leading private online health insurance marketplace, shows that
Republicans and Democrats are united in their growing alarm at the
rising cost of healthcare and are looking to the next president to
address it.
In a general population survey of more than 1,000 Americans, 88%
(including 88% of Democrats and 89% of Republicans) say they are
"shocked" by how much their healthcare costs have increased over
the past four years. When asked to name the top three healthcare
priorities for the next president, respondents chose:
- Ensuring the sustainability of Medicare (cited by 59%
overall, including 65% of Democrat voters and 55% of Republican
voters)
- Addressing the cost of medical care generally (cited by
57% overall, including 59% of both Democrat and Republican
voters)
- Addressing the cost of prescription drugs specifically
(cited by 50% overall, including 49% of Democrat voters and 54% of
Republican voters)
Political hot topics like abortion access and vaccine safety
ranked much lower (cited by 28% and 9% respectively).
Read the full report.
"I believe the insights from our survey can offer valuable
guidance to candidates in this fall's elections," said eHealth CEO
Fran Soistman. "The healthcare cost
crisis cannot be ignored—it's a fundamental issue impacting the
financial well-being of a vast majority of the American electorate.
This concern transcends the usual partisan divides, resonating more
broadly than many healthcare topics that often dominate the
headlines. Consumers are shouldering greater out-of-pocket costs
through high deductibles, co-insurance, and co-pays, all of which
spotlight the true cost of medical care."
eHealth found that a majority of respondents, from both
political parties, were open to the idea of repealing the
Affordable Care Act (ACA) and instituting a single, government-run
healthcare system for all Americans.
"We were particularly surprised by these findings," said Mr.
Soistman. "It's possible that long-standing frustration with rising
healthcare costs is opening more voters to new ideas. However, it's
important to note that our survey was not intended to propose an
alternative to the ACA or outline what a single-payer system might
look like."
The findings described in eHealth's report are intended to shed
light on consumer sentiments relevant to the 2024 presidential
election and should not be read as an endorsement of any specific
candidate or policy position.
eHealth's report is based on a nationwide general population
survey conducted through a third-party survey tool in late
August 2024. A total of 1,054
responses were collected. For more methodology information, please
refer to the report.
About eHealth (NASDAQ: EHTH)
We're Matchmakers. For over 25 years, eHealth has helped millions
of Americans find the healthcare coverage that fits their needs at
a price they can afford. As a leading independent licensed
insurance agency and advisor, eHealth offers access to over 180
health insurers, including national and regional
companies.
For more information about eHealth, visit ehealth.com or follow
us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Open positions can be
found on our career page.
Media inquiries: pr@ehealth.com
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/voters-reveal-their-healthcare-priorities-for-the-next-president-in-new-ehealth-report-302251382.html
SOURCE eHealth, Inc.