POLL: Healthcare Costs Emerge as Top Concern for Arizona Voters Heading Into 2026

Healthcare Costs Emerge as Top Concern for Arizona Voters Heading Into 2026

34% Cite Healthcare as Primary Concern — First Time Since 2020 It Tops the Priority List

PHOENIX (February 12th, 2026) – Healthcare costs have surged to become the single most important policy concern for Arizona registered voters heading into the 2026 election cycle, with 34% citing it as their top priority — the highest ranking for healthcare in the AZPOP survey since the COVID pandemic era of 2020, according to a new survey from OH Predictive Insights.

The rise of healthcare as a top-tier concern reflects several converging factors: significant premium increases in the individual insurance market, the partial rollback of Medicare drug pricing negotiation provisions, rising out-of-pocket costs for prescription medications, and a new round of Affordable Care Act subsidy expirations that have affected coverage for hundreds of thousands of Arizonans.

The healthcare priority shift cuts across demographic lines. Among voters 65 and older — traditionally the most healthcare-sensitive cohort — 47% cite healthcare costs as their top concern, reflecting anxiety about Medicare changes and prescription drug pricing. But the generational shift is notable: among voters 35–54, healthcare now ranks first at 31%, up from 18% just two years ago, as employer-sponsored insurance costs have risen sharply and deductibles have increased across most plan types.

"Healthcare has been simmering as an issue for years, and it's now boiling over," says OHPI Chief of Research Mike Noble. "When people in their forties and fifties — peak earning years — are making employment decisions based on healthcare access, that issue has moved from the background to the foreground."

The partisan composition of healthcare concern is increasingly bipartisan. Among Democrats, 46% rank it first. Among Independents, 33% rank it first — making it their top concern for the first time. Even among Republicans, 22% now rank healthcare first, up from 12% two years ago.

Specific healthcare policies draw strong cross-partisan support. Allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices receives 78% support in Arizona — including 66% of Republicans. Capping insulin prices at $35/month earns 81% support. Requiring price transparency from hospitals and insurers draws 84% support — the highest of any healthcare policy tested.

More contentious is the question of a government-run public health insurance option: 54% support it, 38% oppose it, and 8% are unsure. The public option question is one of the few healthcare policies where the results fall primarily along partisan lines.

"The bipartisan appetite for drug price controls, price transparency, and out-of-pocket cost caps is enormous," says OHPI Data Analyst Jacob Joss. "Any candidate running in Arizona in 2026 who doesn't have a credible healthcare cost platform is leaving a massive number of votes on the table."

The survey also found that 58% of Arizona voters believe the healthcare system is fundamentally broken and needs major structural changes, while 31% believe it needs modest improvements. Only 11% say the current system is working well.

Methodology: AZPOP conducted February 7–9, 2026. Blended 47% Live Caller / 53% IVR. Arizona Registered Voters. n=600 with ±4.0% MOE.

Media Contacts:
Mike Noble, OH Predictive Insights, [email protected], (480) 313-1837
Jacob Joss, OH Predictive Insights, [email protected], (602) 687-3034