State of Play 2026: Public views on healthcare, healthcare organizations and health policy
By Isaac Squyres and David Jarrard
3-minute read
Deep concern about the high cost of care and belief the industry puts profits over patients are fueling a powerful riptide of consumer discontent with healthcare, sweeping providers and payers in a forceful current that leaves them vulnerable to opportunistic politics, damaging misinformation and swift moving, cost-minded competitors.
In the 2026 edition of our State of Play national consumer survey, about six in ten say healthcare is headed in the wrong direction and seven in ten say the whole system needs significant reform.
It’s not all bad news. There are ripples of hope for healthcare (read on) but we’ll start with the tough love. After all, you can’t plan well for the future if you don’t begin with a candid assessment of today.
- Three quarters of people say the cost of care is the top issue for healthcare today. Equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans agree on this point, a rare point of unity these days.
- More than three quarters say both providers and payers prioritize making money over taking care of people. These numbers are up 10 points from September and match the worst levels we’ve tracked this decade.
- Just over half are confident that their local hospital will be able to provide quality care in the years ahead. And that declines by 13 points after being asked a battery of questions on a variety of issues the industry faces. Woof.
- A quarter say their trust in provider organizations has declined in the last 12 months. This figure is fairly consistent across demographic groups and political perspectives.
These findings (and others in our survey) offer different reflections of an overriding and pervasive frustration with our industry. From most every angle, the numbers offer a bracing measure of the political and competitive vulnerability of healthcare organizations today.
But in every concern lies an opportunity. The organization – or political party, or competitor, or you-name-it – that effectively addresses the cost-of-care puzzle will have a dramatic advantage in the marketplace.
And in this – and despite all the tough numbers – the healthcare industry has a trump card to play.
Swimming to shore.
We said there was good news. So here it is:
In a sea of national consumer distrust that encompasses most institutions, healthcare – and especially healthcare providers – remain trusted more than most.
Asked who makes their list of most trusted to explain the implications of healthcare policies, over half pick doctors and nurses, about half select hospitals…and 12 percent say “politicians.”
These are advantages not to be ignored. In fact, the public wants (and expects) to hear from providers – nearly 90 percent say providers should be involved in talking about key healthcare issues.
Healthcare has significant strengths to help change the industry’s course. The opportunity to (re)build public support and leverage it to meet today’s challenges is real.
Swimming out of today’s riptide is achievable with focus and fortitude, and our survey reveals real opportunities to get back to the solid ground of trust and mission-driven alignment:
Get in the game.
People trust providers and expect them to talk about important healthcare issues. Yet few people actually hear from them. While the decision to stay quiet may feel safe, in reality it creates a vacuum that can be filled by external forces. It’s imperative to put energy into telling your story. Acknowledge cost concerns. Balance urgency with realism – don’t cry wolf.
Know that quality + community impact = trust.
The perception that hospitals put patients over profits has declined again. But about half of those we polled say it’s ok for hospitals to make more money – as long as they provide quality care and are a good community partner. Another quarter of respondents is part of the moveable middle on this question. Emphasizing community impact alongside the ever-present focus on quality is a winner.
Focus on that moveable middle.
Many people are unsure about where hospitals are headed in terms of quality care (and about other questions). They can be persuaded. But will it be by you or someone else? A hyper-local and patient-centered story – ideally delivered by a white coat – that shows you understand the real pain points of the people you serve gives you the best chance to win support.
It’s understandable for the noise of partisanship and division to feel all-consuming and paralyzing. Don’t let it. Instead, use the tools above to tell a unique, local story to build trust, close gaps in perception, create clarity about the work underway and demonstrate a commitment to community and mission.
The survey contains many other findings, including public perspectives on recent ACA and Medicaid policy changes, awareness and believability of messages related to 340B, and updated numbers on AI. Download the executive summary or contact us for a complimentary review of the findings and the full survey report.
Contributor: David Shifrin, Natalie Brereton, Michael Hildebrand, Emme Nelson Baxter
Image Credit: Shannon Threadgill
