As healthcare remains a top affordability issue for the upcoming midterm election — neck and neck with gas prices — “Medicare for All” is seeing a boost in support, according to a KFF poll published Oct. 6.
When KFF last asked about the policy in October 2020, 53% of U.S. adults supported the effort. But, as progressive Democrats surface the issue in their current campaigns, the poll found 66% of adults support Medicare for All today. About one-third of adults strongly favor Medicare for All, and another third somewhat favor it.
In its Medicare for All question, KFF described the proposal as “a national health plan … in which all Americans would get their insurance from a single government plan.” Partisan divides persist with the idea of a single-payer system, with 84% of Democrats and 72% of independents favoring it, whereas 66% of Republicans oppose that plan, according to KFF.
Medicare for All is a loose term, with some politicians clarifying that they are not advocating for a ban on private insurance. The public is roughly split on whether it would support Medicare for All if it eliminated private health insurance companies, with 52% supporting and 47% opposing. In 2020, the prospect of Medicare for All eliminating private insurance companies led to 37% of adults favoring Medicare for All, signaling a shift.
Support for Medicare for All can fluctuate as people hear from proponents and critics. Public opposition sharply increases to 76% when Medicare for All is associated with possible delays in medical tests and treatments. Opposition also grows when it is linked to a tax increase (64%) or threats to the existing Medicare program (61%). Support increases to 76% if the plan guarantees health insurance as a right and 75% if it axes premiums and cost-sharing.
The survey also found that six in 10 voters are worried about affording healthcare costs, and 47% of voters are more motivated to vote than usual.
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