WASHINGTON — Election Day is quickly approaching. While inflation and the cost of living are key issues driving voters to the polls, many Americans say health care is also a top concern.
“Because of my personal experience, healthcare is a top priority,” Samantha Gonzales-Russell said.
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Gonzales-Russell is a voter in Nevada. She’s also a cervical cancer survivor who is going on five years in remission.
This year, Gonzales-Russell said she’s following how candidates talk about health care coverage.
“We never know when we will need to turn to the health care system,” she said. “The last thing we want to be thinking about, or should be thinking about, is, ‘Can I get the care that I need? What kind of barriers do I have to overcome to do that?’”
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New polling from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) echoes similar concerns. It finds roughly 80% of voters say access to affordable health coverage is one of the top issues they’re paying attention to regardless of party affiliation.
“We want those candidates to be addressing these issues because they are important and top of mind for individuals. They worry about the cost of health care. They worry about whether or not they’ll be able to get cancer screenings,” Phil O’Brien, Cancer Votes National ambassador said.
This poll is a part of ACS CAN’s national Cancer Votes campaign which is the country’s leading voter education program for cancer-related policies.
It finds that medical debt is another big concern. The results show shows 53% of voters say they or a family member has experienced this kind of debt.
Gonzales-Russell said she’s one of them.
“Cancer may be behind us, but the debt does, you know, stays along and we need support in dealing with that aspect of the experience as well,” she said.
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The poll also shows many voters are concerned about the cost of health insurance at the state level. A majority believe lowering costs of out-of-pocket expenses like copays and deductibles is key.
According to the poll, more than half of voters don’t believe the health care system is meeting the needs of most of their state’s residents.
“That’s why we want to make sure that for legislators,” O’Brien said. “It’s always in their mind in terms of how it affects people in their in their districts.”
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However, about 72% of voters believe the current system is working for them and their family.
Voters are also expressing concern about what’s included with insurance. The poll found many people want their plans to cover medical tests, screenings, and preventive care.
“Because the sooner that they can have access to no cost cancer screening, and the sooner that they can get in to see a doctor and come up with a with a plan after a positive diagnosis, the more it’s not only going to help that individual in terms of their rate of survival, but it’s also going to help the economy as a whole,” O’Brien said.
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