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RELEASE: New CAP Action-Data for Progress Polling Finds Voters Overwhelmingly Support Prescription Drug Negotiation, More Inclined To Back Democrats Who Support the Policy
Press Release

RELEASE: New CAP Action-Data for Progress Polling Finds Voters Overwhelmingly Support Prescription Drug Negotiation, More Inclined To Back Democrats Who Support the Policy

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Center for American Progress Action Fund and Data for Progress released new survey data on voters’ views on prescription drug reform. The nationally representative survey of 1,188 voters was fielded September 10–13, 2021, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. The release of the results comes on the heels of three Democrats—Reps. Scott Peters (D-CA), Kathleen Rice (D-NY), and Kurt Schrader (D-OR)—voting against the House’s prescription drug reform plan during the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s recent markup of the Build Back Better Act.

Key findings from the survey include:

  • 93 percent of voters believe the cost of prescription drugs is a concern, with half of voters viewing the cost of prescription drugs as a “top concern.”
  • 73 percent of voters support empowering Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for lower drug prices; just 17 percent oppose.
  • Support for negotiation is supported by strong majorities across political affiliations, including 85 percent of Democrats, 75 percent of independents, and 61 percent of Republicans.
  • By a 36 percentage point margin, voters say that they would be more likely to vote for a Democrat who supports giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices; this includes 80 percent of Democrat, 57 percent of independent, and 29 percent of Republican voters.

“These results show that opposing prescription drug reform stands in direct conflict with the views and concerns of voters across the political spectrum,” said Navin Nayak, president and executive director of CAP Action. “Any Democrat who opposes empowering Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices is not only putting patients’ health at risk, they are undermining one of the key goals of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda—to lower costs for American families who are struggling to get by.”

Please click here to view results of the survey.

For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Colin Seeberger at [email protected] or 202-741-6292.