A Focus on Affordability

February 02, 2026

More than 4 in 10 voters indicate the cost of health care will impact their votes heading into the midterm elections.

A survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) shows that health care affordability is a top issue for U.S. households.

Here are a few takeaways from the KFF poll:

• Household expenses:  Health care is the top household expense the public worries about, with 66 percent of respondents very worried or somewhat worried about it. Food and groceries (57%) and rent or mortgage (52%) were next highest on the list.
• Beyond health care:  An overwhelming majority (82%) report their cost of living has increased in the past year. This includes half of respondents who report it increased “a lot.”
• Enhanced tax credits:  About 67 percent of the public indicate Congress was wrong to let enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage expire, but the support is largely split along party lines.
• ACA favorability:  The public still supports the ACA, but favorability declined in the most recent poll from 64 percent to 58 percent.
  • This was driven largely by Republicans. Just 22 percent report a “very” or “somewhat” favorable view of the law, compared to 36 percent in September.
• Quotable:  “With health care costs topping the list of economic worries across partisans and key groups, voters expect the issue to play a major role in their decisions to turnout in November’s midterm elections as well as which candidates they support,” the poll notes.

The survey was conducted in mid-January and featured a representative sample of U.S. adults. Read the KFF poll and news release online.