Majority Favors Hybrid Health Care System Over ‘Medicare For All’

AUSTIN, TEXAS —With the Democratic primary debates for the 2020 presidential election in full swing, insuranceQuotes.com released the results of its 2020 State of Healthcare and Politics Report. Survey data unveils Americans’ preferences, concerns and knowledge related to Medicare for All, Obamacare, the state of healthcare, Medicare’s risk of going bankrupt and healthcare access for undocumented immigrants.

According to the report, 62% of Americans “most strongly support” a U.S. healthcare system that includes both public and private insurance, while 25% favor a Medicare for All system that ends private insurance and 9% favor a system that includes only private insurance. In addition, 58% believe that undocumented immigrants should have health insurance access, while 39% believe they should not.

“Medicare For All is obviously a much-talked about proposal, with buzz and support behind it, as well as its share of questions and opposition. The data shows that if Medicare for All means that private insurance is eliminated, the American people are not currently ready for that,” said Jason Hargraves, managing editor at insuranceQuotes.com. “As the election approaches, the candidates will have to solidify their plans and then make their case.”

Among the study’s additional findings:

• 50% of Americans say that since President Trump took office, the U.S. healthcare system has stayed about the same in quality, while 28% say worse and 18% say better.
• 43% assert that Medicare is at risk of going bankrupt in the future, while 43% assert that it is not.
• 34% are unaware that Obamacare is still in effect.

The report is a follow-up to the 2019 State of Healthcare and Politics Report, released last October, which found that 41% said they do not know what healthcare open enrollment is, and 14% falsely said it was cancelled. The 2020 open enrollment period—which is the timeframe when people can enroll in a health insurance plan for 2020 coverage—runs from November 1 through December 15.

“Obamacare, Medicare and coverage for undocumented immigrants are, each in their own ways, hot button issues for the 2020 election. However, politics aside, certain realities do remain: for instance, while there have been changes to Obamacare, it is still the law of the land. And many people aren’t aware of that,” said Hargraves.

The full 2020 State of Healthcare and Politics Report—which includes additional data, insights and analysis—is available at www.insurancequotes.com/health/health-care-survey-majority-americans-support-hybrid-insurance-plans-over-medicare-for-all.