Press release
Voters Reveal Their Healthcare Priorities for the Next President in New eHealth Report
88% are "shocked" by how much their healthcare costs have increased in the past four years Respondents say next president should focus on Medicare
About this update from Ehealth, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"88% are \"shocked\" by how much their healthcare costs have increased in the past four years\nRespondents say next president should focus on Medicare sustainability and address medical and prescription drug costs\nAUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With the presidential election less than two months away, new research published today by eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) (eHealth.com), a leading private online health insurance marketplace, shows that Republicans and Democrats are united in their growing alarm at the rising cost of healthcare and are looking to the next president to address it.\nIn a general population survey of more than 1,000 Americans, 88% (including 88% of Democrats and 89% of Republicans) say they are \"shocked\" by how much their healthcare costs have increased over the past four years. When asked to name the top three healthcare priorities for the next president, respondents chose:\nEnsuring the sustainability of Medicare (cited by 59% overall, including 65% of Democrat voters and 55% of Republican voters)Addressing the cost of medical care generally (cited by 57% overall, including 59% of both Democrat and Republican voters)Addressing the cost of prescription drugs specifically (cited by 50% overall, including 49% of Democrat voters and 54% of Republican voters)Political hot topics like abortion access and vaccine safety ranked much lower (cited by 28% and 9% respectively).\nRead the full report.\n\"I believe the insights from our survey can offer valuable guidance to candidates in this fall's elections,\" said eHealth CEO Fran Soistman. \"The healthcare cost crisis cannot be ignored—it's a fundamental issue impacting the financial well-being of a vast majority of the American electorate. This concern transcends the usual partisan divides, resonating more broadly than many healthcare topics that often dominate the headlines. Consumers are shouldering greater out-of-pocket costs through high deductibles, co-insurance, and co-pays, all of which spotlight the true cost of medical care.\"\neHealth found that a majority of respondents, from both political parties, were open to the idea of repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and instituting a single, government-run healthcare system for all Americans.\n\"We were particularly surprised by these findings,\" said Mr. Soistman. \"It's possible that long-st...