Public support for a national health plan, often called Medicare-for-All, reached two-thirds of U.S. adults at 66% in September 2026, marking a new high as progressive candidates campaign on the issue during the midterm election cycle, according to KFF polling data.
Independent Voter Support for Single-Payer Model Grows
- Single-Payer Model: Medicare-for-All proposes replacing current health insurance systems with a single government plan that covers all Americans.
- Perceived Trade-offs: While many adults anticipate lower out-of-pocket costs, approximately 61% expect the amount they pay in taxes to be worse under such a plan.
- Public Sentiment Shift: Independent voter support climbed to 72% in 2026, up from 57% six years prior, reflecting a broader demographic change in opinion.
Two Decades of Federal Health Insurance Polling Data
This 2026 midterm election cycle, some progressive Democratic candidates have been campaigning on their support for a single government insurance plan.
Support for a larger federal role is bipartisan, including nearly all Democrats at 94% and eight in ten independents at 82%. A smaller majority of Republicans at 61% also favor a larger role for government.
This sentiment is not new.
Shifting Partisan Views and Public Expectations in the 2026 Midterms
A September 2026 KFF Health Tracking Poll finds that two-thirds, or 66% of the public, favor having a national health plan in which all Americans get their insurance from a single government plan. This includes about eight in ten Democrats at 84% and seven in ten independents at 72%. Most Republicans, however, oppose the proposal at 66%, including about half at 48% who strongly oppose it.
Opposition rose slightly in 2019, coinciding with debate during the Democratic presidential primary, and when KFF asked the question in October 2020, about half at 53% were in favor and about four in ten at 42% opposed. The latest KFF poll from September 2026 marks a new high, with the share opposed falling to about a third at 34%.
Support for Medicare-for-All increased across partisans between 2020 and 2026. Most notably, about seven in ten independents at 72% now favor the proposal, up from fewer than six in ten at 57% six years ago. While most Republicans oppose the plan, one-third at 34% now favor it, up from one in five at 21% in 2020. About eight in ten Democrats at 84% now favor Medicare-for-All, similar to the share who said so in 2020 at 78%.
| Demographic Group | 2020 Support Rate | 2026 Support Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 78% | 84% |
| Independents | 57% | 72% |
| Republicans | 21% | 34% |
| Total Public | 53% | 66% |
How Message Framing and Personal Financial Concerns Shape Support
Adults who favor Medicare-for-All appear to support such a plan despite having mixed views on personal impact.
This misconception is not new.
Historical Trajectory of Single-Payer Polling and Terminology Effects
By February 2016, half of adults favored a national health plan while about four in ten at 43% opposed it.
Polling shows that the terminology used affects public opinion on a national health plan. Fewer had positive reactions to single-payer health insurance system at 49%, a term for which about one in five did not offer an opinion. In addition, public opinion was split on socialized medicine at 46% positive and 44% negative.
Question wording itself can impact the level of support measured for a national health plan. For example, a September 2017 Politico/Harvard poll found that fewer than half at 45% favored replacing the current health insurance system with a single-payer system, while two-thirds at 66% favored replacing it with a taxpayer-funded national plan like Medicare.
References
- KFF Health Tracking Poll – September 2026: Public Opinion on Medicare-for-All and National Health Plans.
- KFF Health Tracking Poll – April 2019: Terminology Impact on Public Support for Universal Health Coverage.
- Politico/Harvard Poll – September 2017: Comparative Framing of Single-Payer Versus Taxpayer-Funded Plans.
- Gallup Poll – November 2017: Knowledge Gaps and Public Opinion on Medicare-for-All Proposals.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice.
