Latest news with #FabrizioWard
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Opinion - America has a health care affordability gap. Congress is working toward change.
The rising cost of health care polls as one of the top financial worries for hardworking American families, surpassing other financial stressors including debt, child care and fuel costs. This is particularly problematic for the millions of working-class Americans who are the backbone of our communities. Even those who have insurance can't escape the pressure when they are inevitably presented with medical bills not covered by their plans. A resounding majority of voters — nearly 80 percent, according to a recent poll by Fabrizio Ward — say it's time the middle class has a dedicated tool to help them offset runaway health care costs. Yet the complexities and sheer size of our health care system make finding solutions seem insurmountable to many and divisive among the policymakers working toward change. Even as leaders in Congress are focusing on the myriad of issues driving up the cost of care, such as prescription price hikes, lack of price transparency, and bureaucratic red tape, costs continue to climb. Americans can't afford to wait any longer. That is why we are reaching across the aisle and supporting the Health Out-of-Pocket Expense Act, or HOPE Act, to give over 100 million eligible Americans the chance to manage their health care expenses. By advancing bipartisan legislation, we can bridge the health care affordability gap, help hardworking Americans receive the care they need, promote better health care outcomes, and work toward becoming a healthier nation. The HOPE Act, with its broad eligibility and tax advantages, offers a structured and personal way to save for future health needs. The legislation introduces HOPE Accounts, an innovative savings tool designed to help individuals and families plan for medical costs. Individuals and their employers can contribute to a personal account that stays with them forever, untethered to their job, giving people a new way to save for future health expenses, from a routine visit to preventative care to an unforeseen emergency. Most appealing to Americans is the portability of HOPE Accounts, meaning the funds can never be lost, even when they change jobs. It's security for the long run. The HOPE Act offers a lifeline for families and individuals who find themselves battling these ever-rising costs, the consequences of which are illustrated both by data and constituent stories. A staggering 45 percent of adults in the U.S. can't afford care when they need it — a 6-point increase since 2022. Families are delaying or altogether skipping out on medical treatment simply out of fear of health care costs, threatening their physical health and adding to anxieties and stress. Nearly one in three American adults avoided seeking needed care in three months alone, while others, often living paycheck to paycheck, are forced to choose between their health and affording other basic, essential needs from paying off bills and credit cards to buying food for their families. Worse yet, when care can no longer be avoided, Americans find themselves dipping into their life savings. In the most severe yet all too common cases, patients attempt to buy time by using credit cards or otherwise face medical debt and even bankruptcy. Americans coming from middle- or lower-income backgrounds are hit hardest, disproportionately affected by out-of-pocket expenses and the consequences of an inability to pay. For these individuals, balancing basic living expenses with unforeseen health care needs can be devastating no matter how hard they work to make ends meet. The HOPE Act is not a complicated overhaul of the health care system, nor is it a narrow program with eligibility restrictions. It's a straightforward, common-sense solution that empowers families to take control of their health care expenses in a financially responsible way. As health care costs rise, it is essential for Congress to work toward solutions that not only address the immediate need for affordable care but also equip people from all walks of life with tools that prepare them for future challenges. The HOPE Act does just that, empowering over 100 million people to manage and protect their health. We already have momentum with an endorsement from the Problem Solvers Caucus, a 62-member group evenly split between Republicans and Democrats and committed to advancing solutions by finding common ground. It's time for our other House colleagues to follow suit. While this solution alone may not completely solve the health care affordability crisis, it is certainly a step in the right direction. Times have seemingly never been more unpredictable. But the HOPE Act is an opportunity for Congress to come together, show bipartisanship, and provide the critical lifeline working families need to take their health, security and futures back into their own hands. Rep. Blake Moore (R) represents Utah's 1st Congressional District and is a member of the Ways and Means Committee. Jimmy Panetta (D) represents California's 19th Congressional District and is a member of the Ways and Means Committee. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
America has a health care affordability gap. Congress is working toward change.
The rising cost of health care polls as one of the top financial worries for hardworking American families, surpassing other financial stressors including debt, child care and fuel costs. This is particularly problematic for the millions of working-class Americans who are the backbone of our communities. Even those who have insurance can't escape the pressure when they are inevitably presented with medical bills not covered by their plans. A resounding majority of voters — nearly 80 percent, according to a recent poll by Fabrizio Ward — say it's time the middle class has a dedicated tool to help them offset runaway health care costs. Yet the complexities and sheer size of our health care system make finding solutions seem insurmountable to many and divisive among the policymakers working toward change. Even as leaders in Congress are focusing on the myriad of issues driving up the cost of care, such as prescription price hikes, lack of price transparency, and bureaucratic red tape, costs continue to climb. Americans can't afford to wait any longer. That is why we are reaching across the aisle and supporting the Health Out-of-Pocket Expense Act, or HOPE Act, to give over 100 million eligible Americans the chance to manage their health care expenses. By advancing bipartisan legislation, we can bridge the health care affordability gap, help hardworking Americans receive the care they need, promote better health care outcomes, and work toward becoming a healthier nation. The HOPE Act, with its broad eligibility and tax advantages, offers a structured and personal way to save for future health needs. The legislation introduces HOPE Accounts, an innovative savings tool designed to help individuals and families plan for medical costs. Individuals and their employers can contribute to a personal account that stays with them forever, untethered to their job, giving people a new way to save for future health expenses, from a routine visit to preventative care to an unforeseen emergency. Most appealing to Americans is the portability of HOPE Accounts, meaning the funds can never be lost, even when they change jobs. It's security for the long run. The HOPE Act offers a lifeline for families and individuals who find themselves battling these ever-rising costs, the consequences of which are illustrated both by data and constituent stories. A staggering 45 percent of adults in the U.S. can't afford care when they need it — a 6-point increase since 2022. Families are delaying or altogether skipping out on medical treatment simply out of fear of health care costs, threatening their physical health and adding to anxieties and stress. Nearly one in three American adults avoided seeking needed care in three months alone, while others, often living paycheck to paycheck, are forced to choose between their health and affording other basic, essential needs from paying off bills and credit cards to buying food for their families. Worse yet, when care can no longer be avoided, Americans find themselves dipping into their life savings. In the most severe yet all too common cases, patients attempt to buy time by using credit cards or otherwise face medical debt and even bankruptcy. Americans coming from middle- or lower-income backgrounds are hit hardest, disproportionately affected by out-of-pocket expenses and the consequences of an inability to pay. For these individuals, balancing basic living expenses with unforeseen health care needs can be devastating no matter how hard they work to make ends meet. The HOPE Act is not a complicated overhaul of the health care system, nor is it a narrow program with eligibility restrictions. It's a straightforward, common-sense solution that empowers families to take control of their health care expenses in a financially responsible way. As health care costs rise, it is essential for Congress to work toward solutions that not only address the immediate need for affordable care but also equip people from all walks of life with tools that prepare them for future challenges. The HOPE Act does just that, empowering over 100 million people to manage and protect their health. We already have momentum with an endorsement from the Problem Solvers Caucus, a 62-member group evenly split between Republicans and Democrats and committed to advancing solutions by finding common ground. It's time for our other House colleagues to follow suit. While this solution alone may not completely solve the health care affordability crisis, it is certainly a step in the right direction. Times have seemingly never been more unpredictable. But the HOPE Act is an opportunity for Congress to come together, show bipartisanship, and provide the critical lifeline working families need to take their health, security and futures back into their own hands. Rep. Blake Moore (R) represents Utah's 1st Congressional District and is a member of the Ways and Means Committee. Jimmy Panetta (D) represents California's 19th Congressional District and is a member of the Ways and Means Committee.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Most Trump voters want Medicare negotiations protected, Medicaid preserved: Survey
The majority of voters in a new poll, including those who voted for President Trump, say it is important for the government to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies and that they prefer lower drug prices over cutting Medicaid. According to a poll conducted by Fabrizio Ward and commissioned by Arnold Ventures, 88 percent of voters said it was fairly or very important for the government to negotiate with drug companies. The vast majority said it was important to some degree, with only 4 percent saying it was 'not that important.' Across different voting demographics, 86 percent of Trump voters said it was fairly or very important; 92 percent of former Vice President Kamala Harris voters said the same along with 87 percent of swing voters. Roughly the same percentage of voters said it was important that Trump defend Medicare drug price negotiations in court, including 86 percent of Trump voters, 87 percent of Harris voters and 83 percent of swing voters. The survey also found a strong opposition to Medicaid cuts, with 78 percent of respondents saying they'd prefer to pay for tax cuts with lower pharmaceutical costs and only 10 percent saying they would want Medicaid cuts. Among Trump voters, 71 percent chose lower pharmaceutical costs and 16 percent chose cutting Medicaid. Harris voters significantly favored lower pharmaceutical costs, with 86 percent choosing this option and only 5 percent choosing Medicaid cuts. 'Drug prices are too high. This isn't a Republican or Democrat issue; voters across the political spectrum are saying enough is enough,' Mark E. Miller, executive vice president of health care at Arnold Ventures, said in a statement. 'Congress and the administration must protect and build on Medicare negotiations, as well as take on additional solutions to lower costs, help consumers, and offer significant savings for Americans,' he continued. Pollsters interviewed 1,000 voters in targeted congressional districts, which they defined as the 18 districts rated to be 'toss-ups' by the Cook Political Report as of March 18. Most voters in the swing districts said they preferred lowered pharmaceutical costs to pay for tax cuts, for the government to negotiate with drugmakers and for Trump to protect Medicare negotiations. When House Republicans return from recess next week, they will have to grapple with how to find $1.5 trillion in budget cuts to implement Trump's policy agenda, including $880 million that will likely include changes to Medicaid. A dozen Republican lawmakers in swing districts have come forward saying they won't support legislation that cuts into Medicaid. Fabrizio Ward interviewed 1,000 registered voters nationwide along with the 1,000 registered voters in the targeted districts March 19-24. The results of the survey have a sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
GOP pollster: Majority of Trump voters oppose Medicaid cuts
A majority of Americans who voted for President Trump oppose cuts to Medicaid funding, according to a recent poll. Two-thirds of surveyed swing voters oppose cutting Medicaid spending to pay for tax cuts, as do 51 percent of surveyed Trump voters, according to the poll conducted by the firm Fabrizio Ward. The poll is significant because of a debate over cutting Medicaid to help pay for Trump's legislative agenda, which includes an extension of his 2017 tax cuts. The House panel overseeing Medicaid has been asked to find $880 billion in cuts, which would be difficult to achieve without going after Medicaid. The issue divides the GOP, as a number of Republicans fear deep cuts to Medicaid could boomerang on their own constituents. Fabrizio Ward is a firm run by Tony Fabrizio, who was the pollster for Trump's 2024 campaign. Trump has said he opposes cuts to Medicaid except to root out fraud and waste. 'There is no appetite across the political spectrum for cutting Medicaid to pay for tax cuts,' the survey reads. 'Medicaid is well-liked by most voters, in large part due to the broad impact it has across the electorate and the high level of importance voters place on as many Americans as possible having health insurance.' About 1 in 5 Trump voters has or has had Medicaid, the poll notes, while another 1 in 5 have family on Medicaid. The majority of surveyed Trump voters — 87 percent — believe it is important for as many Americans as possible to be covered by health insurance. Fabrizio Ward surveyed 1,000 registered voters across the country March 20-24 for the poll both online and through live phone calls. It was conducted on behalf of the Modern Medicaid Alliance, a coalition of organizations that represent patients, doctors, hospitals and caregivers, according to Politico, who first reported the poll findings. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
07-04-2025
- Health
- The Hill
GOP pollster: Majority of Trump voters oppose Medicaid cuts
A majority of Americans who voted for President Trump oppose cuts to Medicaid funding, according to a recent poll. Two-thirds of surveyed swing voters oppose cutting Medicaid spending to pay for tax cuts, as do 51 percent of surveyed Trump voters, according to the poll conducted by the firm Fabrizio Ward. The poll is significant because of a debate over cutting Medicaid to help pay for Trump's legislative agenda, which includes an extension of his 2017 tax cuts. The House panel overseeing Medicaid has been asked to find $880 billion in cuts, which would be difficult to achieve without going after Medicaid. The issue divides the GOP, as a number of Republicans fear deep cuts to Medicaid could boomerang on their own constituents. Fabrizio Ward is a firm run by Tony Fabrizio, who was the pollster for Trump's 2024 campaign. Trump has said he opposes cuts to Medicaid except to root out fraud and waste. 'There is no appetite across the political spectrum for cutting Medicaid to pay for tax cuts,' the survey reads. 'Medicaid is well-liked by most voters, in large part due to the broad impact it has across the electorate and the high level of importance voters place on as many Americans as possible having health insurance.' About 1 in 5 Trump voters has or has had Medicaid, the poll notes, while another 1 in 5 have family on Medicaid. The majority of surveyed Trump voters — 87 percent — believe it is important for as many Americans as possible to be covered by health insurance. Fabrizio Ward surveyed 1,000 registered voters across the country March 20-24 for the poll both online and through live phone calls. It was conducted on behalf of the Modern Medicaid Alliance, a coalition of organizations that represent patients, doctors, hospitals and caregivers, according to Politico, who first reported the poll findings.
