Americans are more likely to trust private companies over government to bring big changes to healthcare, according to a poll from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
That view hasn't changed since the AP-NORC poll asked Americans the same question in February before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the U.S. The poll surveyed 1,001 adults from May 14-18.
In terms of driving innovation, improving quality and providing health insurance, Americans said they trust private firms more than the government. However, respondents said they have more confidence in the government's ability to reduce costs than the private sector (54 percent versus 44 percent, respectively).
Katherine Baicker, PhD, dean of the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, told The Associated Press that the relatively unchanged views may reflect a lack of bandwidth for sweeping reform amid a crisis. Dr. Baicker said people may instead be focused on short-term goals like developing a COVID-19 vaccine.
Read the full report here.