HealthOctober 02, 2024

Wolters Kluwer: Two-thirds of Americans say healthcare access and costs will impact their voting decisions

Wolters Kluwer Pharmacy Next survey spotlights Americans’ “medicine cabinet issues” and healthcare worries as election nears

With the 2024 U.S. election approaching, consumers are facing a healthcare landscape undergoing extreme changes, as pharmacy and retail health closures, together with rising prescription costs, impact access to medications and primary care. In the third Pharmacy Next: Health Consumer Medication Trends survey, Wolters Kluwer Health releases new data that uncovers Americans’ top healthcare concerns going into the 2024 presidential election. 

American consumers are being asked to contend with an expensive and constantly changing healthcare landscape that, in most cases, is making it harder to meet their care needs. Insights from our survey show Americans taking these real-life challenges and worries to the voting booth in November.
Dr. Peter Bonis, Chief Medical Officer, Wolters Kluwer Health

How will younger voters influence the healthcare agenda in November?

Across all generations, almost two-thirds of Americans (65%) say issues of healthcare access and costs will play an important role in their voting decisions. However, looking more closely at younger generations reveals which topics first-time voters are focused on: 

  • Gen Z (50%) and Millennials (43%) are more likely than Gen X (34%) and Baby Boomers (24%) to say women’s health and fertility topics will play an important role in their voting choices.
  • Gen Z (17%) stands out as more than twice as likely as Millennials (8%), Gen X (6%) and Baby Boomers (3%) to say gender affirming care will play an important role in their voting decisions in the presidential election.

“Medicine cabinet issues” join “kitchen table issues” as macro-economic trends hit hard

Health consumers report growing worries about getting medications nearby, higher prescription costs, and more frequent shortages—all access-related issues that a new administration will be facing in 2025.

Three in Five Americans are concerned about getting medications close to home.View full size graphic. 
  • Pharmacy deserts: As news that major pharmacy chains continue closing locations, three in five Americans are concerned about getting medications close to home. 
  • Medication prices climb: Over half of Americans (52%) say, over the past few years, the prices of their medications have increased. 
  • Shortage worries: In the past year, more than 30% of Americans report that drug shortages impacted their ability to access prescriptions they needed.

The full results of the Pharmacy Next: Health Consumer Medication Trends survey will be announced next month (please contact André Rebelo at the email below to be notified). Findings reveal the profound impact that recent changes in the healthcare landscape have had on consumers.

Explore more insights from Wolters Kluwer’s previous Pharmacy Next survey findings and analysis.

Pharmacy Next
Pharmacy Next

The Pharmacy Next survey included 1,002 U.S. adults, 18 and older, and is weighted by age, gender, household income, and education to be representative of the total U.S. population according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The survey was conducted online between July 10–15, 2024.

About Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer (EURONEXT: WKL) is a global leader in information, software solutions and services for professionals in healthcare; tax and accounting; financial and corporate compliance; legal and regulatory; corporate performance and ESG. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services.

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Cost of careImpact on societyDomain knowledge
Contacts
André Rebelo
Andre Rebelo
Director, External Communications
Health
+1 (781) 392-2411

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