Facts Matter: The State of Health Care in America

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The Big Picture –
By Glynn Wilson – 

Editor’s Note: Healthcare is one of the top domestic and economic concerns for Americans. Public opinion research consistently shows this to be the case. Recent surveys from Gallup reveal that a striking 61 percent of adults in the U.S. worry “a great deal” about healthcare, ranking it above inflation, federal spending and general economic concerns.

This research highlights several key dimensions of public anxiety about the U.S. medical system.

1. The Cost and Affordability Crisis – By far, the biggest issue for the public is how much healthcare costs. It’s a massive financial burden for families.

General Anxiety: Research by the Kaiser Family Foundation indicates that 64% of adults are actively worried about affording their family’s healthcare.

Rising Costs: A majority of Americans (57%) expect their personal medical expenses to become even less affordable over the coming years.

Political Consensus: High costs bridge political divides. According to Pew Research Center, 85% of Democrats and 60% of Republicans view healthcare affordability as a “very big problem” for the country.

2. Systemic Burdens and “Prior Authorizations” – Even when people have health insurance, they find the medical system sometimes difficult to navigate.

Insurance Roadblocks: A major KFF Health Tracking Poll found that prior authorizations – the tedious process of getting approval from an insurance company before receiving a doctor-ordered test or drug — is the single biggest daily hassle.

The Numbers: Nearly 70% of insured adults find prior authorizations to be a burden. This ranks as a worse headache than understanding medical bills or trying to book a doctor’s appointment. 

3. Corporate Greed and Distrust – The public increasingly views the healthcare system as a business rather than a service meant to help people.

Corporate Blame: Most citizens blame a combination of insurance companies, drug manufacturers and hospital chain networks for driving up prices unnecessarily.

System Failure: This distrust has caused a historic shift in public opinion. Gallup reported a record-high 23% of Americans believe the healthcare system is “in a state of crisis,” while another 47% say it has “major problems.” That adds up to 70 percent of the public extremely worried about the state of the health care system overall.

4. What Voters Want – Because anxiety is so high, healthcare has become a critical focal point for elections.

Voter Priority: More than 75% of voters say a political candidate’s stance on healthcare costs directly impacts how they will vote.

Government Responsibility: A growing majority of the public believes the federal government has a fundamental responsibility to ensure all Americans have health coverage, though they remain split on whether this should be done through a government-run single-payer plan or by fixing the private market.

Key Topics: Beyond costs, voters highly prioritize hearing politicians discuss the future of Medicare, combating fraud in government health programs and the future of Medicaid.

Five Part Series

This is the first of a five part series published in the New American Journal, a sister publication to YosemiteRadio.Org. To read the full series, follow these links.

Part I – Facts Matter: The State of Health Care in America

Part II: When Medicine Starts to Look Like a Factory

Part III – The Affordable Care Act and the Corporate Transformation of American Medicine

Part IV – Trump’s Changes to American Health Care

Part V – Nine Billion People on a Warming Planet: Humanity’s Next Great Test

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