A recent Gallup survey found that 63% of Americans were at least somewhat dissatisfied with the availability of affordable healthcare. Studies from other research organizations indicate that Americans from across the political spectrum think government healthcare plans should be improved.

From GALLUP (survey published in 2021)

• 63% of Americans were at least somewhat dissatisfied with the availability of affordable healthcare

· From GALLUP (survey conducted November 5-19, 2020)

• 69% of Americans were generally dissatisfied with the total cost of healthcare in the country
• 61% of Americans supported that the U.S. healthcare system today at least is in major problems
• Only 14 % of Americans rated the healthcare in the country as poor

· From KFF (survey published October 16, 2020)

• 89% of Americans said that it is important for a national health care plan to cover all Americans
• 79% of Americans said that it is important for a national health plan to simplify the health care system
• 77% of Americans favored allowing people between the ages of 50 and 64 to buy insurance through the Medicare program
• 75% of Americans favored allowing people who don’t get health insurance at work to buy health insurance through their state Medicaid program

From Common Ground of The American People (survey published in August 2020)

• 92% of Americans supported allowing Medicare to negotiate prices, including 92% of Republicans and 92% of Democrats
• 88% of Americans supported making changes to the patent system to allow generic drugs to get on to the market more quickly, including 92% of Democrats and 81% of Republicans
• 81% of Americans supported not repealing ACA requirement that insurance companies cannot set premiums for older people more than three times what they charge younger people, including 94% of Democrats and 66% of Republicans
• 79% of Americans agreed that allowing people aged 55 years or older to purchase a Medicare plan, including 88% of Democrats and 70% of Republicans
• 78% of Americans supported that do not repeal the ACA requirement that insurance companies cannot consider pre-existing conditions when setting premiums, including 93% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans
• 74% of Americans supported not limiting how much Medigap can cover, including 74% of Republicans and 73% of Democrats
• 71% of Americans supported offering government-run public option open to all individuals, including 84% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans
• 69% of Americans agreed encouraging use of generic drugs by lowering costs for generic drugs and raising them for name brand drugs (reduces shortfall by 2%), including 71% of Republicans and 70% of Democrats
• 69% of Americans agreed requiring drug companies to accept 17% less money for drugs that go to people with modest incomes (reduces shortfall by 3%), including 70% of Democrats and 68% of Republicans
• 67% of Americans agreed raising the Medicare payroll tax on current earners by 0.1% from 1.45% to 1.55% (reduce shortfall by 11.3%), including 69% of Republicans and 68% of Democrats

Hyria Stuart is a college student currently studying in Beijing. He majors in social work and serves as a political research assistant (American/international politics) at Boston College while planning to pursue a graduate degree (Public Administration/Policy) in the U.S. He has been interning as a policy analyst and editor since April 2020, focusing on nonpartisan proposals seeking to bring Americans together. He helped re-elect Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) in 2020 as a campaign intern. Hyria has published in “Raise the Voices.” His political bias is Lean Left.

This piece was edited by News Editor Micaela Ricaforte (Center bias), and was reviewed by James Coan (Center) of Braver Angels. Correspondence can be directed to [email protected].