Social Media Signaling Healthcare As Voter’s Number One Biggest Concern For 2020 National Elections
As the 2020 election season builds momentum in both the range of potential candidates and complex issues, based on social media volume, the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs have risen to the number one concern of voters.
Tom Galido, CEO of Kaptivating Technology, a social media analytics company said, “It is not difficult to understand why Americans across the country view this as the defining issue of our time, as millions of citizens across all age categories continue to struggle with the rising costs of healthcare and prescription drugs.”
Galido continued, “As we monitor and provide context for billions of current social media messages, as it relates to national public policy, we are finding a significant disconnect between the message from healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, and the general public. Health care and pharmaceutical companies are pointing out the significant improvement in health outcomes over the last 30 years in terms of life saving and extending drugs and medical advancements, but the public is focused on the staggering personal financial cost to most individuals.”
Studies note that U.S. healthcare costs continue to rise at a level higher than the rate of inflation, and in 2018 cost the average citizen approximately $13,000 per year. Not only has this caused a significant financial stress on individuals and families, but also a range of coping mechanisms including:
- 40% of adults defer going to a physician due to fear of outcomes, often leading to more serious issues.
- 65% of Americans take at least one prescription medicine and 25% take four or more.
- 80% note the cost of prescription drugs are “unreasonable”.
- 45% either cut their medications in half and/or do not take their prescription medication as directed because of cost concerns.
- 50% of citizens over 50 have had to tap their 401(k)-retirement fund to pay for medical and drug costs.
Galido noted, “An unusually large consensus of sentiment within the American people, based on their social media conversations, is that all of the institutions involved including government, the public and private sectors, and healthcare and pharmaceutical companies are to blame and voters are making it very clear they expect Congress to ‘fix’ the problem.”
In conclusion Galido stated, “Based on this input both political parties need to provide greater clarity and transparency on their respective plans and private sector healthcare companies and pharmaceutical companies need to help voters become more educated to understand the modern healthcare landscape so they can make more informed choices and develop their own opinion on what candidates are saying. What is clear is this is not a casual issue…this is life and death to far too many citizens. “
