Addressing the high price of prescription drugs tops the American public's list of healthcare issues for the next president and Congress to address. Matters specific to the ACA, such as repealing parts or all of the law, are considered less important by comparison, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll.
The poll found 74 percent of the public and majorities of individuals across party lines said making sure high-cost drugs for chronic conditions, such as HIV, hepatitis, mental illness and cancer, are affordable to those who need them is a top healthcare priority.
Additionally, the majority (63 percent) of the public said government action to lower prescription drug prices is a top healthcare priority.
Issues specific to the ACA, are viewed as top healthcare priorities by less people. Repealing the ACA mandate requiring nearly all Americans have health insurance or else pay a fine was viewed as a top healthcare priority by 38 percent of the public, while repealing the entire ACA was viewed as a top healthcare priority by 37 percent of the public. Repealing the ACA requirement that employers with 50 or more workers pay a fine if they don't offer health insurance was viewed as a top healthcare priority by 29 percent of the public, according to the poll.
Still, the poll found that repealing the entire ACA is seen as a top healthcare priority by six in 10 Republicans — ranking second in top healthcare priorities among this group.
The survey was conducted Oct. 12 through Oct. 18 among a nationally representative random sample of 1,205 adults.
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