62% of Americans Believe the Government Should Provide Healthcare Coverage

Data from Gallup’s recent, annual Health and Healthcare survey revealed that 62% of adults in the U.S. believe it’s the federal government’s responsibility to provide healthcare coverage for all Americans.

Now at the highest percentage in over a decade, this number has rebounded from 42% in 2013 during the rollout of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.

Historically, between 2000 and 2008, a majority of Americans supported the idea that the government should provide healthcare for everyone. However, these opinions shifted during President Obama’s push for the ACA, which sparked much debate.

By 2009, public opinion was divided, and between 2012 and 2014, many expressed the belief that providing healthcare was not the government’s responsibility.

Opinions shifted once again in the later years of Obama’s presidency, with a growing number of Americans viewing healthcare access as a governmental responsibility.

This view has continued in recent years and can be supported by the declining satisfaction with the overall quality of healthcare in the U.S.

Currently, 44% of Americans rate healthcare quality as excellent or good, a decrease from previous years when positive ratings ranged as high as 62%. This decline is notable among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, with 42% now rating healthcare quality positively, down from 65% to 68% during the Trump administration.

Support for government involvement in healthcare has increased among independents and Republicans.

While 32% of Republicans agree the government should provide healthcare for all, this is an increase from 22% in 2020. Among independents, 65% now support government responsibility for healthcare, up six percentage points from 2020.

As for Democrats, they have consistently shown strong support for government involvement, with the current figure at 90%, the highest Gallup has ever recorded.

The survey also observed public opinion on the structure of the U.S. healthcare system.

Data shows Americans are divided, with 46% favoring a government-ran system similar to those in Canada or the United Kingdom, and 49% supporting a system based on private insurance.

In the past, support for private insurance systems has been higher, with most favoring this approach.

Approval of the ACA has reached 54%, tying its highest recorded level. This marks a significant shift from earlier years when the law was less popular.

Among those who approve of the ACA, opinions are evenly split between maintaining the law as is (48%) and making significant changes (48%). Those who disapprove, the majority (66%) favor repealing and replacing the ACA, a belief historically aligned with Republican policy efforts.

Larry Levitt, a health policy expert, recently told CBS News that repeal of the ACA from Republicans is unlikely, though there could be efforts to cut funding for the law or Medicaid as part of more broad plans to adjust the country’s budget.

Trump-Vance Transition Spokesperson Anna Kelly also shared with CBS News that President-elect Donald Trump “will deliver on his pledge to make his highly successful tax cuts permanent and ease the financial burden on families across the country.”

Kelly added that Trump will also end the “drain on our healthcare system so that our country can continue to care for Americans who rely on Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.”