People Dislike the Health Insurance System – But Like Their Plan. What This Means for the Health Care Debate.
New polling shows Americans think government-run health programs help more than private insurance—but rate their own plan more positively than either.
Criticizing government expansion isn’t enough. Voters want better—not just less.
Amid growing scrutiny of prior authorization and other insurance practices, Americans say government-run health programs are more helpful than private insurance companies when it comes to getting the care they need.
However, there’s a clear disconnect between how people view the overall health care system and how they feel about their own coverage – which they view more positively.
WHY IT MATTERS
Opponents of expanding government-run insurance should avoid defending a commercial system many Americans see as broken. Instead, focus on how government expansion could disrupt the care people already rely on—and offer better reforms to improve access, affordability, and choice.
Click here to read the full report…or read the summary below.
What We Tested
We asked whether different types of health coverage are more likely to help people get the care they need—or prevent them from getting it.
The three types we tested were: “health insurance companies”, “government-run health coverage (like Medicare and Medicaid),” and “your health insurance specifically.”
Perception of Commercial Health Coverage
44% say health insurance companies are more likely to help Americans get the care they need, while 40% say they’re more likely to prevent it.
Republicans are more positive than Democrats and independents. Other demographics groups have similar outlooks.
Those with commercial health insurance have similar views to the public overall.
Perception of Government-run Health Programs
68% say government-run programs are more likely to help Americans get the care they need – 24 points higher than private insurers. 20% say they’re more likely to prevent Americans from getting the care they need.
Those on Medicare, Medicaid, and other government health programs rate government coverage more favorably than those with commercial insurance—or no insurance at all.
The Commercial Coverage Disconnect
71% say their own health insurance helps them and their family get care, while just 19% say it prevents them from doing so.
There is a striking gap between how people view insurers in general and their actual experience with their own coverage.
Among those with commercial insurance, 69% their plan helps them get care—27 points higher than their views of private insurers in general.
For those on government-run plans, the gap is much smaller. 78% of government-insured respondents say their plan is more likely to help them get care, compared to 73% who said the same about government health programs in general—a modest 5 points difference.