Are Americans happy with their health insurance? Here’s what a new poll found

Most Americans are happy with their own health insurance — but, when it comes to the overall health care system, that’s a different story, new polling reveals.

The latest YouGov poll, conducted Dec. 5 with a sample of 4,515 U.S. adults, found widespread dissatisfaction with the way health care is administered in America.

It comes the day after a gunman shot and killed Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare — the country’s largest health insurer — in New York City. The assassination has sparked a broader conversation about health care access in America.

What the poll found

The poll asked respondents three questions — the first of which was about their opinions on their own health insurance.

A majority of respondents, 59%, said they are very or somewhat satisfied with their own health insurance. A far smaller share, 28%, said they are very or somewhat dissatisfied.

Meanwhile, 7% said they were not sure, and 6% responded that they did not have health insurance.

The responses were largely similar across demographic groups — including race, gender, age and partisan affiliation — though there were several notable differences.

For example, older Americans were significantly happier with their insurance than their younger counterparts.

Among respondents aged 65 and older — a cohort that qualifies for Medicare — 82% said they were satisfied with their health insurance. Meanwhile, 50% of 30-44-year-olds and 54% of 18-29-year-olds said the same.

Additionally, 53% of independents said they were satisfied, while a significantly larger share of Republicans and Democrats — 67% and 63%, respectively — said the same.

Second, the poll asked respondents to weigh in on the country’s health care system as a whole. This is where deep discontent was registered.

Nearly half of respondents, 49%, said they have a very or somewhat unfavorable view of the system, while a smaller share, 42%, said they have a very or somewhat favorable view.

Here, again, there were several notable differences among demographic groups.

For example, 48% of men said they have a favorable outlook, while 37% of women said the same.

Further, a majority of 30-44-year-olds and 45-64-year-olds — 51% and 59% — said they have an unfavorable view. In contrast, just 36% of 18-29-year-olds said the same.

Lastly, the poll asked respondents for their thoughts on government-subsidized health insurance, with a plurality saying it should be enlarged.

Close to half, 46%, said they believed it should be expanded. Meanwhile, 19% said it should remain as is, and 13% said it should be reduced. Twenty-two percent said they were not sure.

The largest differences here were among Democrats and Republicans.

A strong majority of Democrats, 66%, said government-funded health care should be expanded, while just 24% of Republicans said the same. Independents fell somewhere in the middle, with 45% saying it should be increased.

This story was originally published December 6, 2024 at 9:38 AM with the headline "Are Americans happy with their health insurance? Here’s what a new poll found."