Fewer people are worried about their health coverage in May than they were before the height of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new UChicago Harris/AP-NORC survey.
Despite an estimated 27 million people losing health coverage in the last three months, only 19% of respondents were concerned about losing their coverage. That’s down from 28% in February.
Additionally, 35% were concerned about the amount they spend on healthcare, down from 44% in February, and 46% were concerned about having access to high-quality care, down from 58%. The poll was conducted between May 14-18 and sampled 1,001 adults.
Although prominent liberals have said the pandemic shows the need for a “Medicare for all” system in the United States, there seems to be little appetite for it. The public favors the private sector over government to improve the quality of healthcare, 62% to 36%, provide health insurance, 53% to 44%, and drive innovation, 70% to 28%. People favor the government over the private sector only on reducing the cost of healthcare, 54% to 44%.
People do worry about healthcare for others, but those numbers are little changed from February. Fifty-six percent worry about other people not having health coverage, up slightly from February’s 51%. But 47% in May were concerned about how much the U.S. spends on healthcare, down from 56%.
There is also a huge partisan divide on how to pay for the healthcare system, with 78% of Democrats preferring to pay less for healthcare directly and more in taxes, as opposed to just 35% of Republicans.
