Public Opinion

HeaLTH COSTS

Democrats Hold a Nearly 2-to-1 Advantage Over Republicans on Handling the Cost of Health Care

KFF Health Tracking Poll: Health Care Issues in the Lead-Up to the 2026 Midterm Election 

With the 2026 midterms about a month away, health care costs remain tied with gas as voters’ top midterm concerns and the Democrats hold a clear edge over the Republicans Party on who voters trust to handle many top electoral issues, including the cost of health care and the cost of living. Two-thirds of U.S. adults now favor Medicare-for-all, a new high in KFF Polling, but support shifts when competing claims from critics and proponents are heard.

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RSVP for a virtual event featuring KFF public opinion experts providing insights on the latest polling about health care issues in advance of the midterms, including current public sentiment about Medicare-for-All. After the presentation, experts will take questions from attendees.

KFF/AP Survey of RURAL VOTERS

Health Information and Trust

About Half of Parents Mistakenly Believe Spacing Out Vaccines Is Healthier for Children; Half Say No Strong Evidence to Support Such a Claim

KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Fall 2026 Update on Vaccine Views

The latest KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust finds about half of parents mistakenly believe spacing out vaccines is healthier for children, while confidence in many long-standing childhood vaccines is high across partisans. These findings take on new relevance following President Trump’s recent executive order calling for changes in U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations, including splitting the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine—currently given as a single combined shot—into three separate vaccines across multiple visits.

Dashboard: Polling on Health Information and Trust

Drawing on KFF’s poll findings, this interactive dashboard tracks the public’s trusted sources for health information, attitudes toward vaccines, and use of news, social media, and AI for health-related information.

Health Tracking PollS

Mifepristone and the Midterms

Amid an ongoing FDA re-review of mifepristone, awareness of the safety and prevalence of the abortion pill remains limited. This KFF poll also finds that the voters who say abortion policy is an important issue for 2026 midterm candidates to discuss are disproportionately Democrats.

Ebola Response and Pandemic Preparedness

Much of the public has yet to form an opinion on the U.S. government’s response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this poll finds. Four in ten adults say the U.S. is less prepared for a pandemic now than it was in 2020.

Most Democratic Voters Want To Hear Candidates Discuss Health Costs and Future of Health Programs; More Republicans Focused on Fraud

Public Views on Fraud in Government Health Programs

As the 2026 midterms approach, health care costs remain voters’ top health priority, but fraud in government health programs, including Medicaid and Medicare, is resonating with Republican voters, 55% of whom say it’s extremely important for candidates to address.

MAHA and the Midterms

This KFF Health Tracking Poll finds that the cost of health care is a more prominent focus for Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) voters than issues like food and vaccine policy. Four in ten MAHA voters (42%) choose lowering health costs as the most important health priority, outranking other MAHA priorities.

the essentials

Health Tracking Poll

Our signature survey project provides up-to-date data on the public’s health care views, knowledge, and experiences.

Tracking the Public’s Views on the ACA

Tracking the Public’s Views on the ACA

This interactive tool tracks public opinion on the Affordable Care Act, from the inception of the law to the present, including trends based on party identification, income, age, gender, and race/ethnicity.

Health Information and Trust Tracking Poll

The Health Information and Trust Tracking Poll is part of KFF’s Health Information and Trust Initiative, which tracks health misinformation and analyzes its impact on the public.

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  • KFF Health Tracking Poll: Views on and Knowledge about Abortion in Wake of Leaked Supreme Court Opinion

    Feature

    This poll analyses the general public's understanding of abortion access and reproductive health following a leaked draft of the U.S Supreme Court opinion on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Center. The poll also looks at how the aftermath of the leaked opinion may affect voting in the upcoming midterm election. This KFF poll also finds that there are significant knowledge gaps on the prevalence and the overall safety of abortions.

  • Americans’ Knowledge and Attitudes About Abortion Access and the Pending Supreme Court Ruling

    Event Date:
    Event

    On June 9, KFF released findings from a national public opinion survey on abortion. The event highlighted key issues including awareness and attitudes of the impending Supreme Court opinion, its potential impact on abortion access, the importance of abortion policy to voting preferences in this year’s midterm elections, and knowledge of abortion and related health care.

  • KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: Pregnancy Misinformation – May 2022

    Poll Finding

    Misinformation and confusion about the COVID-19 vaccines and pregnancy is common among women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, with about three in ten saying they believe at least one false statement regarding the COVID-19 vaccines.

  • 1 in 5 Parents of Children Under 5 Intend to Get Them a COVID-19 Vaccine Right Away Once Eligible; Most Say Approval Delays Have Not Shaken Their Confidence in Vaccine’s Safety and Effectiveness

    News Release

    About a Third of the Public Thinks the Nation is Facing a New COVID-19 Wave as Cases Rise About a fifth (18%) of parents with children under age 5 say they intend to get their child vaccinated “right away” once federal regulators authorize its use for their child’s age group, the latest KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor survey shows. Another 38% say they would want to “wait and see” how it works for other young children…

  • KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: April 2022

    Poll Finding

    This Vaccine Monitor survey finds about one in five parents of children under age five say they will get their child vaccinated right away, and another 38% plan to wait and see how the vaccine is working for others. With mask mandates lifted in many areas. most workers say they feel safe at their workplace, though Black, Hispanic and low-income workers are less likely to feel "very safe."

  • As the COVID-19 Pandemic Enters the Third Year Most Adults Say They Have Not Fully Returned to Pre-Pandemic ‘Normal’

    News Release

    People of Color, Lower Income Adults, and Those With Chronic Conditions Are More Vigilant About COVID-19 Precautions Like Masking, and Want Others to Continue Them as Well The Public Is Divided About Public Transportation Mask Requirement, With Half Wanting the Mandate Extended and the Other Half Wanting to Let it Expire Conventional wisdom may be that Americans are ready to put COVID-19 in the rearview mirror and cast precautions aside, but the latest KFF COVID-19…

  • KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: Views On The Pandemic At Two Years

    Feature

    A new KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor finds as many restrictions are being lifted, most of the public say they have personally returned to doing some of their pre-pandemic activities, but not all. In addition, majorities still report wearing masks in public indoor areas, but the public is split on whether the transportation mask mandate should continue. The pandemic has had a heavy toll on mental health, both for adults and their children, with people citing…

  • Strategies To Lower Drug Costs Top the Public’s Health Priorities for Congress

    News Release

    Against the backdrop of public concern about inflation and rising gas prices, proposals to lower what people pay out-of-pocket for drugs tops the public’s list of health care priorities for Congress, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds. Most (55%) of the public say inflation is the biggest problem facing the country. Fewer cite other issues such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine (18%), climate change (6%), the COVID-19 pandemic (6%), and crime (6%). The…