Poll: Half of Americans find health care harder to afford this year

Nearly half of respondents in a new poll said they are now finding it more difficult to afford health care than they were a year ago, according to a new poll.

The Navigator poll found 49% of respondents said it’s more difficult to afford prescription drugs, insurance premiums and doctor visits compared to last year. Additionally, 78% of those surveyed said they believe the government should be doing more to make health care more affordable.

Among Democrats, 61% of those polled said it’s more difficult than last year to afford "things in general." The poll question did not list any specific categories of spending, like health care, gas prices, groceries and phone bills, when asking the question.

Among Republicans, 29% said it’s more difficult to afford "things in general," compared to 43% who believe it’s easier, according to the poll.

However, health care seems to transcend party lines. Fifty-four percent of Democrats said health care specifically is more difficult to afford than last year, and 46% of Republicans said the same thing.

Overall, respondents trust Democrats more to address the issue of rising health-care costs. The poll found 49% of respondents believe Democrats would best address the issue in Congress, compared to 35% who place more trust in Republicans.