Pew: Most adults say health insurers overly influence health policy

Whether identifying as Republicans or Democrats, about 70% of adults surveyed say health insurers exert too much influence over health policy, according to the Pew Research Center.

Among all adults, 69%, including 69% of Democrats and 71% of Republicans, cited too much influence on health policy by insurers, Pew reported.

Relatively small percentages of respondents said health insurers have either not enough influence, 9%, or about the right amount, also 9%.

Among adults who identify as Republicans, 7% said health insurers don't have enough influence, and 11% said their level of influence is about the right amount.

That compares to 10% and 8%, respectively, among adults who are Democrats.

Centers for Disease Control's influence on health policy

Opinions on the level of health policy influence by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention differ more among survey respondents.

Among all adults surveyed, 33% said the CDC does not have enough influence, versus 27% saying it has about the right amount, and 25% saying it has too much.

When broken down among political parties, 15% of Republicans and 53% of Democrats said the CDC does not have enough influence on health policy.

Another 26% of Republicans said the CDC has about the right amount and 45% too much influence over health policy.

Democrats, 27%, were nearly equal in saying the CDC has about the right amount of influence, while 8% said it has too much.

Opinions differ on health scientists' influence on health policy

When it comes to the influence of health scientists on health policy, 51% of adults surveyed said such scientists don't have enough influence, while 19% said they have about the right amount.

Another 14% said health scientists have too much influence.

Significant differences exist between adults who identify as Republicans and those who identify as Democrats.

A third of Republicans surveyed said health scientists don't have enough influence, versus 70% of Democrats saying health scientists have insufficient influence.

Among Republicans, 28% said health scientists have about the right amount of influence, and another 22% said they have too much.

That compares to 11% and 7%, respectively, among Democrats.

Greater agreement on health problems

Larger majorities of 79% or more of those surveyed, regardless of political affiliation, agreed that cancer, obesity, heart disease and opioid addiction are major problems in the United States.

Narrower majorities said Alzheimer's disease and loneliness are major health problems, with 64% and 55%, respectively, indicating so.

When it comes to bird flu and measles, nearly equal majorities of 55% and 57%, respectively, said they are minor problems.

The Pew Research Center conducted the survey in April and May.