Californians Overwhelmingly Back Limits on Rising Health Care Cost
By a 50-point margin, California voters support a new state effort to keep health care costs from growing faster than their paychecks; Support holds up across nearly every region, demographic group, and political party.
By a 50-point margin, California voters support a new state effort to keep health care costs from growing faster than their paychecks; Support holds up across nearly every region, demographic group, and political party. What the Policy DoesCalifornia’s Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) has set a target to keep health care costs (what insurers, hospitals, and large doctor groups charge) from rising faster than Californians’ wages. If costs grow beyond that target, penalties may apply. In plain terms: medical costs shouldn’t outpace what people actually earn. Overwhelming Support68% of California voters support this policy, including39% who strongly support it, compared to just 18% opposed. That’s a+50-point margin, or nearly four-to-one. Support is EverywhereA majority of voters in every region of California back the policy:Los Angeles County:70% supportGreater LA Area:70% supportBay Area:68% supportSan Diego:68% supportCentral Valley:68% supportCentral Coast:67% supportSacramento / North:63% supportSupport Regardless of Insurance StatusHealth care affordability is not only an issue for those who are uninsured. Californians who have coverage through their employer or public programs also face high costs and struggle to afford care. Which is why Californians with coverage support a cost-growth target in large numbers. Voters on Medicare/Medicaid: 72%/77% supportVoters Insured through Covered California: 79% supportVoterswith Employer-Based Health Coverage:68% supportSupport Across Party LinesWhile a cost growth target has larger support among Democrats and independent voters, nearly half of Republicans also support it:Democrats: 79% supportIndependents & third-party voters: 69% support Republicans: 48% supportSupport Crosses Every CommunityA cost growth target is supported by nearly every racial and ethnic group, as well as Californians who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. African American voters:81% supportLGB voters:75% supportAAPINH voters:73% supportWhite voters:69% supportLatino voters:67% supportWhy it MattersHealth care costs are rising faster than Californians can afford. The result: people skip the care they need because they can’t pay for it or they get care and end up buried in debt. Nearly 6 in 10 Californians (59%)skipped or delayed care in the past year because of the cost, and4 in 10carry medical debt. Over the last 20 years,median wages grew about 3%a year while workers’ premium contributions grew6. 8%. The burden falls hardest on communities of color. 19% of Latino Californiansspend more than a quarter of their monthly budget on health care compared to just6% of white Californians. To confront this crisis, California created the Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) in 2022, a first-of-its-kind effort to rein in rising costs, deliver relief to consumers, and improve quality of care system-wide, with real guardrails to hold health care entities accountable for affordability, quality, and equity.