Since the government shutdown ended in early December, debate over the expiration of COVID-era Obamacare subsidies has intensified, and an overwhelming majority of voters have expressed concern about healthcare costs.
The latest Fox News national survey, released Thursday, finds 86% are extremely or very concerned about the price of healthcare, up 5 points since 2023.
The 55% of voters who are extremely concerned about health costs is up from 46% in 2023. Majorities of Democrats (67%) and independents (57%) are extremely concerned, while 4 in 10 Republicans say the same (43%).
The increase in total concern can mostly be attributed to double-digit jumps among college-educated men (+16) and Democrats (+11).
The only issue voters are more concerned about is high prices generally (90%). The next closest is political divisions at 82%, while all other issues rank below 80%: the decline of moral values (75%), crime/public safety (74%), federal budget deficit (71%), ICE detentions/deportations (66%), artificial intelligence (63%), climate change (58%) and illegal immigration (57%).
For large majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents, healthcare is a bipartisan concern. For Democrats (92% concerned) and independents (83%), healthcare prices rank second in their priorities behind inflation, while Republicans (80%) rank it fourth behind inflation, crime and the decline of moral values.
Unease over healthcare prices ranks second or third behind inflation across most demographic categories, including gender, age and income.
The biggest healthcare concern for voters is the price of insurance (44%). Far behind that are issues like the prices charged by doctors and hospitals (17%), the quality of care (12%), complicated insurance requirements/paperwork (10%), prescription drug prices (9%) and accessibility (8%).
Voters across a range of demographic groups rank the price of health insurance as their biggest worry, but…
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