CONTACT: Stephen Manfredi
smanfredi@manfredistrategygroup.com
Just 12% say the IRA benefited consumers, patients, and families & nearly 80% want increased Congressional oversight on big health insurers and their pharmacy benefit managers
Washington, D.C. — June 26, 2024 —
As part of its Commitment to Seniors initiative, American Commitment released a comprehensive poll conducted by KA Consulting, LLC. that explores ongoing concerns over healthcare costs held among Americans leading into the 2024 elections. Despite continued praise from President Biden, the Democrat leadership, and insurer-funded groups like AARP, the survey found likely voters have a significant trust deficit concerning the IRA and its changes to Medicare that were passed nearly two years ago. While promoted as a means to lower consumer prices and health care costs, older Americans are especially concerned over the IRA’s projected Medicare savings being diverted to unrelated government spending.
Key findings on of the poll include:
- Health care remains a top concern for voters, with 40% ranking it a top-three issue. The specific top concerns include monthly premiums (16%), deductibles (10%), surprise medical bills (10%), prescription costs (7%), and hospital services (6%).
- The IRA faces significant skepticism from the American public regarding its efficacy in reducing health care costs and inflation. A majority of Americans believe the IRA has increased costs for groceries (80%), gas and home energy (70%), health insurance (60%), and prescription drugs (48%).
- Just 12% say the Inflation Reduction Act benefited consumers, patients, and families, and only 4% say it benefited seniors; far more believe it instead helped politicians and big insurers.
- 64% are less likely to support the IRA upon learning it cut Medicare by nearly $300 billion to fund other priorities.
- High levels of agreement exist for solutions like passing drug price discounts directly to patients (86%), using market-based strategies for older medicines (83%), and increasing congressional oversight on health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (78%).
“American families and seniors were told the Inflation Reduction Act would lower consumer prices and their health care costs, but like much of Bidenomics, it did the exact opposite,” said Phil Kerpen, President of American Commitment. “Groceries, fuel costs, and the price of nearly all other daily goods and services remain unnecessarily high. Instead of lowering drug prices for seniors, the IRA instead led to skyrocketing Medicare premiums. Even worse, it diverted hundreds of billions of dollars in so-called Medicare savings to pay for wasteful unrelated liberal spending items like electric vehicle and big insurance company subsidies.”
“It’s clear from these findings that America’s seniors feel betrayed by the promises of those who backed the Inflation Reduction Act,” shared Bob Johnson, a retiree and Senior Advisor for Commitment to Seniors. “Notably, this includes AARP, which astonishingly supported the IRA even though it raided Medicare as a means to pay for and prioritize liberal Democrats’ pet spending projects over the urgent needs of older Americans. This poll is a wakeup call and emphasizes the urgent need for a comprehensive and effective healthcare plan that truly addresses their concerns.”
Poll results can be found on the website of our Commitment to Seniors project:
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American Commitment is dedicated to restoring and protecting our nation’s commitment to free markets, economic growth, Constitutionally-limited government, property rights, and individual freedom. American Commitment engages in critical public policy fights over the size and intrusiveness of government through direct advocacy, strategic policy analysis, and grassroots mobilization. Visit us online at www.AmericanCommitment.org.