02/11/2026
Americans are sick and tired of our broken health care system and ready for reform. The recent efforts of the Trump Administration and MAGA allies in Congress have further unraveled an already tenuous system that leaves tens of millions without coverage and even more without adequate coverage. With Americans struggling to afford the care they need, it is no surprise that Medicare for All continues to grow in popularity, with recent polling finding that nearly two-thirds of Americans support such a reform. Another poll found that 56 percent of voters in battleground Congressional districts support Medicare for All.
A number of other recent polls highlight just how unhappy Americans are with the U.S. health care system, with a record low – only 16 percent – reporting being satisfied with the total cost of our health care system. The same poll also found that 70 percent of Americans, including majorities across the political spectrum, said the health care system was in crisis or had major problems.
Trump’s attacks on health care are increasing the desperation of everyday Americans. One poll found that around 40 percent of U.S. adults reported health care or health issues as something they want the federal government to work on in the coming year, a finding that is up around one-third from the previous year.
Even before the recent attacks on health care, Americans were struggling with the cost of care. A recent in-depth study, which explored four years of recent data found that nearly 27 percent of U.S. adults were unable to get needed care or experienced cost burdens – meaning out of pocket expenses greater than 10 percent of a family’s income or five percent for low-income families – due to needed care within the four year period. The uninsured, people with chronic conditions, lower incomes, and those who experienced at least one hospitalization were all more likely to report forgoing care or experienced cost burdens. Those in the final years of their lives were among the most likely to experience cost burdens, with over half experiencing cost burdens in the one to four years before their death.
Another recent poll found that nearly half of adults in the U.S. have had difficulties affording health care in the past year, with 36 percent reporting skipping or postponing need health care due to prohibitive costs. Of particular concern, 75% of uninsured adults under age 65 – meaning they have yet to qualify for Medicare – went without needed care because of the cost. More than one in five adults reported not filling at least one prescription for medication and a third of all adults reporting either not filling a prescription, opting for over-the-counter alternatives, cutting pills in half, or skipping doses in the past year due to the high cost of medications. Nearly 20 percent of adults and more than 40 percent of uninsured adults reported that their health got worse after postponing needed care.
With Americans struggling with health and other cost burdens, it is no wonder that 41 percent of U.S. adults reported experiencing some form of medical debt with a disproportionate share of Black and Hispanic adults, uninsured adults, low-income families, parents, and women experiencing such debts. In addition, more than six in ten adults in the U.S. report being concerned about health care costs or an unexpected medical bill. That number jumps to over 80 percent for uninsured adults under the age of 65. Over half of all adults reported that they wouldn’t even be able to afford to pay a $500 unexpected medical bill.
These dire findings are likely a key reason that nearly 2 in 3 adults in the U.S. think the federal government should make sure all Americans have health care coverage, including nearly 90 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of independents. The same study found that over two-thirds of Democrats and a majority of independents also believed that the health care system should be run by the government, versus a system based on mostly private health insurance. Another recent poll found that two-thirds of voters said the government does “too little” in helping Americans afford health care.
Americans understand it is private for-profit companies who are to blame for their high costs. Nearly two-thirds of Americans hold unfavorable views towards private insurers and pharmaceutical companies, while less than a quarter and one-in-five hold positive views, respectively.
We can’t keep expecting Americans to suffer under our broken system. At the same time everyday Americans are expressing increased support for Medicare for All, we are also seeing more members of Congress sign on to sponsor Medicare for All in both the House and the Senate and more communities joining the 136 cities and counties that have already passed municipal resolutions in favor of Congress finally enacting Medicare for All. The time has come to unite around Medicare for All and build the movement that can finally make it a reality.
American democracy is in jeopardy, from the disastrous Citizens United ruling that flooded our politics with corporate cash to the immoral assault on voting rights. We work every day to defend against these threats and advance bold reforms.
