The survey found that voters are most concerned about COVID-19, the economy/jobs, and health insurance costs in deciding how to vote for president. On health care specifically, voters said the most important issue is the cost of health insurance coverage. Most voters believe the government's role should be providing oversight and incentives to lower costs rather than directly setting prices. Measures targeting specific cost drivers like wasteful spending saw strong support, while a single government insurance plan was opposed by many groups including seniors. On prescription drugs, voters favored incentives over requirements for domestic manufacturing but felt avoiding supply disruptions was important during the pandemic.

1. 1Elizabeth Harrington, Partner
National/Swing States Survey –
Executive Summary
#200713
October 19, 2020
Bill McInturff, Partner

2. 2
Methodology
• Public Opinion Strategies conducted a national online survey
among N=1,000 registered voters with an oversample in 12
key general election swing states to reach an N=800 in these
states from September 28-October 5, 2020.
• Key swing states were defined as: AZ, CO, FL, GA, IA, MI, MN,
NC, NV, OH, PA, and WI.
• The confidence interval for N=1,000 is +3.53% and for
N=800 is +3.95%.

3. 3
2020 Election Issue Environment &
Health Care

4. 4
Key Findings:
Election Issue Environment
• Record numbers of voters report they have or will vote before election day.
• COVID-19, the economy/jobs, and health insurance costs/coverage are the
top vote issues.
• Prescription drug costs, crime, and education are lowest on the list of issues
for voters this election.
• Across party, the most important health care issue for voters is the cost of
health insurance coverage.
• High quality care/services and low out-of-pocket costs are what people say
they value most in health care.

5. 5
Nearly seven in ten voters report they either have already voted or plan on
voting before election day.
National Swing States
Total Yes, Already Voted 21% 22%
Yes, already voted by mail 15% 17%
Yes, already voted in person at an
early polling location 6% 5%
No, Have Not Voted Yet 79% 78%
Combined Data – All Voters National
Swing
States
Total Already Voted/
Plan To Vote Early 69% 67%
Already Voted 21% 22%
Plan to vote early 48% 45%
Plan To Vote At Polls On
Election Day 27% 29%
Do Not Plan On Voting 4% 4%
Data Shown Among All Voters National Swing States
Total Plan To Vote Early 48% 45%
Plan to vote early by mail 28% 30%
Plan to vote early in person at an
early polling location 20% 15%
Plan To Vote At Polls On
Election Day 27% 29%
Do Not Plan On Voting 4% 4%

6. 6
There are differences by partisanship when looking at reports of when voters are
planning on voting.
Among National Data by
Party and Partisan Support
National All
Voters
Republicans Independents Democrats
Support
Trump
Support
Republican
Party
Support
Democratic
Party
Support None
Total Vote Early 69% 62% 59% 78% 59% 68% 81% 52%
Already voted 21% 19% 17% 24% 20% 25% 25% 8%
Plan to vote early 48% 43% 42% 54% 39% 43% 56% 44%
Plan To Vote On
Election Day
27% 34% 27% 20% 40% 31% 18% 25%
Do Not Plan On
Voting
4% 4% 14% 2% 1% 1% 1% 23%

7. 7
The top issues voters say will impact their vote for president: CV-19, the economy/jobs, and health
insurance costs and coverage.
National Swing States
First
Choice
Combined
1st/2nd
Choice
Ranked by National Data 1st Choice
First
Choice
Combined
1st/2nd
Choice
23% 36% The coronavirus 26% 39%
21% 34% The economy/jobs 20% 33%
14% 29% Health insurance costs and coverage 14% 30%
5% 13% Race relations 5% 13%
5% 12% The environment or climate change 5% 12%
5% 12% National security and terrorism 4% 10%
4% 10% Immigration and border security 5% 12%
3% 10% Taxes 3% 10%
3% 8% Crime 3% 9%
3% 6% Education 3% 6%
2% 4% Prescription drug costs 1% 3%
12% 12% None of these issues will have an impact on vote 11% 11%
Which one of the following issues, if any, is the most important in deciding how you will vote for president this November?

8. 8
Most Important Presidential Vote Issue by Party
Ranked by National Data % Combined 1st/2nd Choice – by Party
National
All Voters
Republicans Independents Democrats
The coronavirus 36% 19% 36% 51%
The economy/jobs 34% 43% 34% 27%
Health insurance costs and coverage 29% 23% 32% 33%
Race relations 13% 4% 9% 23%
The environment or climate change 12% 4% 12% 20%
National security and terrorism 12% 21% 10% 4%
Immigration and border security 10% 18% 8% 3%
Taxes 10% 14% 13% 5%
Crime 8% 13% 7% 3%
Education 6% 5% 6% 7%
Prescription drug costs 4% 4% 4% 5%
None of these issues will have an impact on vote 12% 16% 15% 9%
Which one of the following issues, if any, is the most important in deciding how you will vote for president this November?

9. 9
The most important health care issue is the cost of health insurance coverage.
National Swing States
First
Choice
Combined
Choice
Ranked by National Data 1st Choice
First
Choice
Combined
Choice
35% 55% The cost of health insurance coverage 36% 57%
14% 23% Lack of coronavirus treatments 14% 20%
11% 29% The cost of hospital services 11% 28%
10% 22% The cost of prescription drugs at the pharmacy counter 8% 21%
9% 21% Unexpected hospital and medical bills 11% 22%
7% 18% Difficulty getting or keeping good health insurance coverage 8% 18%
5% 10% Difficulty getting access to quality hospitals and doctors 4% 10%
4% 10%
Lack of access to the newest and most effective medicines and latest
treatments
3% 10%
3% 6% Addiction to opioids and prescription painkillers 3% 6%
2% 4% Something else 2% 5%
From the following list, which health care issue is most important to you?

10. 10
Unlike the top vote issue overall, voters across party agree about the most
important health care issue: the cost of health insurance coverage.
Ranked by National Data % Combined 1st/2nd Choice – by Party
National All
Voters
Republicans Independents Democrats
The cost of health insurance coverage 55% 52% 60% 57%
The cost of hospital services 29% 27% 27% 30%
Lack of coronavirus treatments 23% 18% 21% 28%
The cost of prescription drugs at the pharmacy counter 22% 25% 22% 20%
Unexpected hospital and medical bills 21% 25% 17% 19%
Difficulty getting or keeping good health insurance coverage 18% 18% 23% 16%
Lack of access to the newest and most effective medicines and
latest treatments
10% 11% 9% 10%
Difficulty getting access to quality hospitals and doctors 10% 10% 10% 9%
Addiction to opioids and prescription painkillers 6% 7% 3% 6%
Something else 4% 5% 4% 3%
From the following list, which health care issue is most important to you?

11. 11
High quality care and services and low out-of-pocket costs are what people say
they value most in health care.
National Swing States
First
Choice
Combined
1st-3rd
Choices
Ranked by National Data 1st Choice
First
Choice
Combined
1st-3rd
Choices
32% 64% Low out-of-pocket costs 28% 63%
29% 73% High quality care and services 30% 74%
12% 36% Your relationship with your doctor or health care provider 13% 38%
10% 44% Easy access to health care services near where you live 10% 45%
6% 22% Access to the newest cures and vaccines 6% 21%
5% 29%
Access to the newest and most effective medicines and latest
treatments
5% 28%
4% 15%
Being able to do a telemedicine appointment with your doctor or
health care provider
4% 15%
2% 16% Access to cutting edge technology and equipment 4% 16%
Listed below are some things people say they value in health care. Please select the three you value most in health care, recording your first choice, second
choice, and third choice.

12. 12
Government Role in Addressing
Health Care Costs

13. 13
Key Findings:
Government Role in Addressing Health Care Costs
• When it comes to lowering health care costs overall, voters want the role of
the federal government to be that of providing oversight and incentives to
encourage competition in health care rather than setting prices and
determining what is covered.
• By overwhelming margins, voters are much more supportive of measures
that address specific drivers of health care costs (reducing wasteful spending,
capping out-of-pocket costs, providing incentives) rather than putting in
place a single government run health insurance system with one plan that
covers all Americans.
• Seniors, which have the most experience with government run health
coverage, are the most opposed to this approach.

14. 14
We tested two approaches the federal government could do to lower health care costs. We
asked voters which approach they think is the better way for the U.S. health care system to work:
The federal government should provide oversight and incentives to
health care providers, prescription drug companies and health
insurers to encourage more competition to lower prices in the
health care system.
The federal government should set prices for health care services
and prescription medicines and determine what services and
medicines are covered by private health plans.
Which one of these approaches do you think is the better way for the health care system to work in the U.S.?

15. 15
70% 73% 73% 75%
66%
81%
72%
64%
69%
30% 27% 27% 25%
34%
19%
28%
36%
31%
Provide Oversight/Incentives Set Prices/Determine Coverage
Majorities of voters across party choose the federal government providing
oversight/incentives rather than setting prices/determining coverage.
National Swing States Republicans Independents Democrats
Support
Trump
Support
Republican Party
Support
Democratic Party
Support None
Which one of these approaches do you think is the better way for the health care system to work in the U.S.?
+40% +46% +46% +50% +32% +62% +44% +28% +38%

16. 16
By overwhelming margins, voters are much more supportive of measures that
address the specific drivers of health care costs:
National Swing States
Total
Favor
Total
Oppose
Ranked by National Data % Total Favor
Total
Favor
Total
Oppose
81% 12% Reduce wasteful spending in health care by eliminating unnecessary
procedures, duplicate testing, and administrative overhead. 79% 12%
81% 11%
Place a cap on the amount health insurers can make patients pay
out of their pocket for deductibles, copays and other out-of-pocket
costs.
78% 12%
81% 10%
Give health insurers more incentives to keep costs of health plans
manageable for people who are sick and take prescription
medicines.
80% 10%
50% 38%
Have a single government-run health insurance system where the
government pays for all of the health care, sets all of the prices and
decides what medicines and services are covered under a single
health plan that covers all Americans.
46% 41%
Listed below are some ideas that people have raised as ways that we could lower the cost of health care in this country. For each, please record whether you
strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose the idea or if you have no opinion about it one way or the other.

17. 17
Seniors are the most opposed to a government run health care system. There is a majority/
plurality of opposition to government run health care among the following groups:
Listed below are some ideas that people have raised as ways that we could lower the cost of health care in this country. For each, please record whether you
strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose the idea or if you have no opinion about it one way or the other.
• Ages 65+ (-34%: 29% Favor - 63% Oppose)
• Conservatives (-21%: 37% Favor – 58% Oppose)
• Republicans (-19%: 35% Favor – 54% Oppose)
• Strong Republicans (-17%: 38% Favor - 55%
Oppose)
• 2016 Trump Voters (-16%: 38% Favor – 54%
Oppose)
• Men Ages 45+ (-13%: 40% Favor - 53% Oppose)
• Baby Boomers (-10%: 41% Favor - 51% Oppose)
• Women Ages 45+ (-4%: 42% Favor – 46%
Oppose)
Have a single government-run health insurance system where the government pays for all of
the health care, sets all of the prices and decides what medicines and services are covered
under a single health plan that covers all Americans.

18. 18
U.S. Manufacturing of
Prescription Drugs

19. 19
Key Findings:
Requiring U.S. Manufacturing of Prescription Drugs
• In terms of issues surrounding U.S. manufacturing of prescription drugs,
more than six in ten voters believe the U.S. government should provide more
incentives to encourage companies to manufacture drugs in the U.S. rather
than requiring them to source and manufacture drugs in the U.S. This belief
holds true across party.
• In light of CV-19, voters agree that we need to avoid doing anything that
would disrupt the prescription drug supply chain so companies can focus on
finding CV-19 treatments/vaccines.

20. 20Which is closer to your opinion, even if neither is exactly right?
Government Role -- U.S. Manufacturing of Prescription Drugs:
National Swing States
The U.S. government should provide more incentives
to encourage drug companies to manufacture more of
their products in the U.S.
61% 64%
The U.S. government should require drug companies
that want to sell their products in America to have to
source ingredients and manufacture them entirely in
the U.S.
39% 36%

21. 21
Most voters agree that we need to avoid doing anything that would disrupt the prescription drug
supply chain so companies can focus on finding CV-19 treatments/ vaccines.
Although we need to increase
U.S. manufacturing, we need
to focus now on avoiding any
disruptions to our prescription
medicine supply chain from
other countries so companies
can focus on researching,
developing and ramping up
production of treatments and
vaccines to address the
coronavirus.
+66%
(% Total Agree-%
Total Disagree)
Strongly
Agree
30%
Somewhat
Agree
45%
Somewhat
Disagree
7%
Strongly
Disagree
2%
No Opinion
16%
National Data— All Voters
Total Agree 75%
Total Disagree 9%

22. 22
75% 75%
65%
79% 76% 75%
81%
60%
9% 9%
13%
8% 10% 12%
7% 10%
Total Agree Total Disagree
Avoid Disruption in U.S. Rx Supply Chain by Party and Partisan Support
National
All Voters
Republicans Independents Democrats
Support
Trump
Support
Republican Party
Support
Democratic Party
Support None
Please record how much you agree or disagree with the statement below or whether you do not have an opinion one way or the other.
+66% +66% +52% +71% +66% +63% +74% +50%
30%
Strongly
34%
Strongly
18%
Strongly
30%
Strongly
32%
Strongly
36%
Strongly
30%
Strongly
20%
Strongly

23. 23
Elizabeth Harrington
Partner
Elizabeth@pos.org
Bill McInturff
Partner
bill@pos.org