Research Winter 2021
Consumers for Quality Care Conducts Survey with Nation’s Leading Pollsters on the COVID Effect: Expectations for Health Care Coverage, Cost and Quality in 2021
Group Issues Negotiator’s Guide for Policymakers to Help Address Consumer Health Care Concerns
A new survey from John Anzalone of ALG Research and Neil Newhouse of Public Opinion Strategies on behalf of Consumers for Quality Care (CQC) finds that while consumers believe the health care system did a good job getting the country through the pandemic, COVID-19 revealed just how fragile our health care system is and exposed its serious flaws.
More than 8-in-10 Americans believe COVID-19 has exposed flaws in our current health care system.
A majority (56%) agree that COVID-19 has shown racial disparities in our system, and more agree it has exposed disparities along wealth / class lines (75%)
The coronavirus crisis has shown the flaws in our current health care system.
The coronavirus crisis has shown the disparity of health care that exists in our country between the rich and everyone else.
The coronavirus crisis has shown the disparity of health care that exists in our country between white people and people of color.
COVID-19 has laid bare how important health care quality and access are – not just for testing and treating the coronavirus, but for ongoing routine doctor visits, therapies, and medications that help keep us healthy.
Just as in pre-pandemic times, consumer concerns remain high around the cost of health care – particularly when it comes to out-of-pocket costs, like high deductibles.
In fact, voters almost unanimously agree (92%) on the importance of ensuring deductibles are low enough to not get in the way of accessing care, with sixty-three percent strongly agreeing – the highest percentage of any statement tested in the survey.
Ensuring deductibles are low enough to not get in the way of getting care receives near unanimous support across party lines.
Overall
Democrat
Independent
Republican Men
Republican Women
Yet while voters recognize that the system has been stressed from addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority (79%) say they don’t have appetite for major changes or overhauls right now. Instead, there is significant support for Congress and the President to get health care costs under control, as well as support to strengthen protections and guarantee coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, including COVID-19.
While removing barriers to health care access – like high deductibles – is important, so are the tools that increase access. Another interesting finding from the survey is the favorability of telehealth services. A majority of Americans (55%) say they have used telehealth services, and many like it more than in- person care. Sixty-nine percent say they are likely to use it even after the pandemic.
Learn more about the survey findings: