Poll: Texans voice concerns over health care prices and poor value
Texas 2036’s 9th Texas Voter Poll highlights continued concerns about the state’s health care system.
Texans say the health care system is too pricey, is too confusing, and doesn’t reflect their everyday needs. Voters from across the state want lawmakers to make affordability and access a top priority. Rising prices, unclear costs, and a lack of confidence in the system are keeping many Texans from getting the care they need.
Texans Want Lawmakers to Address Prices
Texans are sending a strong message: reducing health care prices is their top priority.
In this year’s Texas Voter Poll, 82% of voters said they are more likely to support a candidate who prioritizes reducing health care prices, while only 10% said such a focus would make them less likely to support. This +72–point margin was the largest gap recorded in our poll. Reducing health care prices ranked first among all 13 tested issues, ahead of other key issues such as homeowner insurance (79%), property taxes (78%), and disaster response (78%).
This finding shows that Texas voters view reducing health care prices as a core part of the state’s affordability challenges, and expect candidates to address this issue. It also builds on years of Texas 2036 polling that shows continued concern about medical bills and strong support for greater price transparency.
Cost Uncertainty Leads Texans to Delay or Skip Care
More Texans say they are delaying or skipping medical appointments when they don’t know the price. In January 2021, 34% said they or someone in their household had postponed or skipped care because of price uncertainty. That share has now risen to 37% as of September 2025.
This hesitation cuts across income levels, regions, and employment status. It’s especially common among women under 55 (49%) and mothers with children (50%) who are far more likely to delay care than men under 55 (40%) or older adults (26–31%). In line with findings from the Episcopal Health Foundation in their statewide poll, 63% of Texans say they skipped or postponed some form of health care in the past year because of cost. Together, these results show that unpredictable expenses remain a major barrier keeping Texans from seeking timely care.
Texans Feel Left Out of a System Not Built for Them
About half of Texans (53%) believe our health care system is not designed to work well for people like them, reflecting a disconnect between patients and a system that should be serving them. That concern is somewhat higher among employed Texans (60%), underscoring that health care system challenges reach beyond the uninsured and into the state’s working population.
Texans also describe the health care system as complicated and hard to navigate. A slim majority of urban and suburban Texans (55%) and rural Texans (53%) say the health care system isn’t easy to use, showing that this is a problem spread across the state.
Texans Question the Value They’re Getting from Health Care
Roughly half of Texans (55%) believe they’re not getting good value for what they pay, and that concern is slightly higher among employed Texans (62%). Even with steady jobs and coverage, Texans believe affordability and quality may not line up. This suggests that employment doesn’t always guarantee affordable or reliable access to quality care. As a result, more Texans are questioning whether the higher prices they face are actually delivering better outcomes or simply adding to their financial strain.
The Takeaway: Texans Want Action
Texans agree: the state’s health care system isn’t working for them. They want action — not just talk — to make care more affordable, transparent, and accessible. For lawmakers, these results highlight a clear mandate to address prices, increase access, and restore trust in the system.
The poll’s findings show that Texans are united in their call for lasting reforms that make health care more affordable, fair, and responsive to the people it’s meant to serve.