October 12, 2021 – A Kaiser Family Foundation poll finds that 83% of the public favors allowing the government to negotiate lower drug prices, for both people on Medicare and those in private insurance plans. After being presented with both arguments in favor of the idea – that many people cannot afford their prescriptions – and against – that the policy could lead to fewer new drugs being developed – the overall results were unchanged.
The poll also found that one in five U.S. adults aged 65 or older say it is very or somewhat difficult for them to afford their prescriptions. It was conducted with 1,146 U.S. adults aged 18 or older, online and by phone, from Sept. 23-Oct. 4.