New Survey: 76% of People Say Health Care Is A Top Three Issue Determining Their Vote

Additional findings reveal voters agree the health care system is broken, but are split on how to fix it: 48% want to see radical change while 52% prefer targeted, incremental improvements

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, United States of Care (USofCare) released their first annual People's Health Care Survey, the largest listening project in the organization's history. This nationally representative survey of registered voters captures people's experiences and challenges in the health care system. The survey tracks emerging trends like affordability, access to care, and trust, providing the data needed to drive people-centered policy change. The findings reveal broad agreement across the political spectrum: the health care system is not working for people and their families, and they expect the government to take action. Three in four voters surveyed say health care will be one of the top three issues determining their vote, and 78% support an increased government role in making health care more affordable, reliable, and responsive to people's needs.

The People's Health Care Survey also revealed that across demographics, people are nearly split on how much they think the health care system needs to change, with 48% surveyed wanting major or radical reform and 52% preferring targeted improvements.

Additional key insights from the survey include:

• More than half of people (56%) say health care is unaffordable for them, and 73% overall feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or helpless about health care costs; only 17% feel hopeful.
• Frustration with the health care system is the highest among people with employer coverage (54%); they are also the most likely to call for radical change (51%).
• Satisfaction with coverage is highest among Medicare enrollees (66%) and Veterans (60%), and lowest among those with employer coverage (42%) or Marketplace coverage (40%).
• One in three voters feel tied to a job because of their health insurance.
• 74% have used at least one approach outside the traditional medical system — like family, search engines, online communities, or AI — to manage their health.

"When we first tested what people expect from their health care in 2021, they told us they want care that's affordable, dependable, personalized, and easy to navigate. Five years later, that still holds. What's new is how clearly we can see who is struggling and why. This is the largest survey we've ever fielded, and it shows how experiences differ by coverage type, age, and political affiliation. Whether people want a radical overhaul of the health care system or smaller, targeted improvements, they agree that something needs to change. The system is falling short for people across the board." — Venice Haynes, Senior Director of Research and Community Engagement, United States of Care

"People have told us, year after year, what they need from our health care system - and this survey is the clearest signal yet: they can't continue under these financial strains, they don't trust industry to put their health ahead of profit, and they're looking to policymakers to lead. As a new Congress takes office and the 2028 elections come into view, people are looking for policymakers to deliver change that is drastic, but not destructive: providing reforms that are bold enough to create meaningful change but practical enough to protect the parts of the system people rely on." — Natalie Davis, CEO of United States of Care

USofCare will release a full policy vision in early 2027, building on the findings of the 2026 People's Health Care Survey and eight years of listening to people across the country. The vision will focus on what people consistently say they need from the health care system: making health care more affordable, providing dependable coverage, personalizing care to people's unique needs, and building a system people can actually understand and navigate.

USofCare partnered with ZS Associates to conduct the People's Health Care Survey. ZS Associates fielded a 20-minute online survey from June 12 to July 21, 2026, among 2,732 adults ages 18 and older who live in the United States and are registered to vote. ZS Associates conducted follow-up qualitative research from August 20 to September 17, 2026. A full methodology statement is available in the People's Health Care Survey report.

About United States of Care

United States of Care is a listening-first, nonpartisan health care advocacy organization that brings people's experiences to the policy decisions that shape our health care system. USofCare has listened to more than 30,000 people for over 5,000 hours across all 50 states to understand how they experience the health care system in their daily lives.

SOURCE United States of Care