Surveys Show Concerns Consumers Have with Healthcare in 2026
Solutions to our health care crisis continue to be divided. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) details that views on the Affordable Care Act continue to be divided across party lines, though support for certain ACA provisions is more universal. Regardless of party affiliation, most people support the protections that make sure people with “pre-existing conditions” stay covered, ultimately supporting the health needs of people with disabilities. Especially as the budget demands of a war in Iran ramp up, health will continue to be a focal point leading into the midterms. The costs of living are a major priority across the nation. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities outlines some core questions to ask about Trump’s 2027 budget to see if these concerns are met.
Our keystone public health programs are being destabilized:
- The Affordable Care Act: Enrollees under the ACA are still going without the extension of enhanced premium tax credits. Now that we’re a few months into the enrollment year, KFF has conducted a survey of people navigating changes to the ACA Marketplace. Of those surveyed, over half say their health coverage is much higher this year, and people worry about affording monthly premiums and emergency costs. While many 2025 enrollees have kept their coverage in 2026, about 3 in 10 enrollees are no longer covered through the Marketplace. 1 in 10 people has become uninsured. This is primarily affecting younger people under 29 years of age, who self-select out, potentially assuming they won’t need care.
- Medicaid: With proposed changes to the Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for Medicaid, the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University has published their full comment letter on the proposed changes. Their fact sheet outlines the harms to consumers and the ways that these proposal violate federal law and standing legal precedent.
Helpful Resources:
- “10 Things to Know About Medicaid Managed Care” – Kaiser Family Foundation, March 23, 2026: “While managed care is the dominant Medicaid delivery system, states decide which populations and services to include in managed care arrangements, which leads to considerable variation across states.“ Read this piece for 10 key things to know about how managed care is being implemented in Medicaid.
- KFF Policy Trackers: HHS Public Health Policy Actions and Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Actions Under the Trump Administration 2025-2026
- Brief: Addressing Health-Related Social Needs Through Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers: Challenges And Opportunities – Health Affairs
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