Californians Want Covid-19 Controlled, Better Healthcare Access, Affordability

Nearly one in four Californians (23%) know someone who has died of COVID-19.

Containing COVID-19 and making healthcare affordable and accessible for all should be the top priorities for lawmakers and stakeholders in California in 2021, a new poll finds.

"COVID-19 has definitively shaped the views of Californians over the last year and addressing the pandemic has become Californians' top policy priority by far," said Kristof Stremikis, director of Market Analysis and Insight at the California Healthcare Foundation, which commissioned The 2021 California Health Policy Survey.

"Still, ongoing issues like the high cost of healthcare, the number of healthcare providers, and access to mental healthcare remain top of mind for many," Stremikis said.

"Health equity is also a concern. Significant numbers of Californians say it is harder for Black and Latinx people to get the care they need compared to White people."

The poll of 1,541 adult Californians was conducted between November 19, 2020, and January 12, 2021 by NORC at the University of Chicago.

Among the findings:

• 63% of Californians say addressing the COVID-19 crisis is "extremely important" than any other priority in the three years CHCF has conducted this annual survey. 50% prioritize making healthcare more affordable.
   
• 23% of Californians say they know someone who has died of COVID-19, with larger numbers among Black (32%), Latinx (27%), and Asian Californians (26%), compared to 17% of White residents.
   
• 71% say they "definitely" or "probably" will be vaccinated once the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available to them. A total of 13% say they will "probably not" be vaccinated, and 16% say they will "definitely not" get the vaccine.
   
• 59% say ensuring state and county public health departments have the resources they need to control the spread of COVID-19 is "extremely important."
   
• 49% say making sure there are enough doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers is "extremely important."
   
• 45% say making sure people with mental health problems can get the treatment they need is "extremely important."
   
• 52% report that they or a family member skipped or postponed healthcare in the last 12 months — mostly due to issues related to COVID-19.
   
• 51% say they took at least one action to delay or skip care because of cost in the last 12 months. Of those who cut back on care due to cost, 41% say the steps they took because of cost made their health condition worse.
   
• 51% say it is "harder" or "much harder" for Black people to get the healthcare they need when they are sick compared to White people. 49% say it is "harder" or "much harder" for Latinx people.
   
• 62% are "very" or "somewhat" worried about unexpected medical bills and out-of-pocket costs (60%).
   
• 54% are worried about affording treatment for COVID-19, 34% of Latinx, 33% Black), and 29% of Asian Californians saying they are "very worried" about affording treatment, compared to 17% of White Californians.
   
• 64% favor creating a national "public option" health plan.
    
• 60% favor lowering the age people are able to enroll in Medicare from 65 to 60.
   
• 43% favor a single-payer system. 25% strongly oppose such a policy.
   
• 64% of Californians favor increasing subsidies to make coverage more affordable for those purchasing through the ACA.