Top Democratic Pollster Cornell Belcher Surveyed Biden Voters in Battleground States on Their Priorities and Views of Two Trump-Era Health Care Regulations

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July 27, 2021 

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Keep US Covered today released the results of a survey of President Joe Biden’s core voters in key battleground states that explores their current outlook, policy priorities, and views on two controversial health care regulations put in place by the previous administration. The poll found that when introduced to Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs) and short-term limited duration insurance (STLDI), sometimes called junk insurance, Biden voters strongly supported action by the president to undo them. After learning more about ICHRAs, nearly two-thirds opposed the Trump-era policy and 68% supported the president overturning the expansion of junk insurance. The poll also showed that voters want President Biden to do more to address health care costs and accessibility generally – two factors threatened by ICHRAs and junk insurance.

 

While familiarity with ICHRAs was initially low, a plurality still opposed it. As voters learned more, support for repealing the Trump-era policy jumped to 68% due in large part to concerns over the potential for discrimination. Voters want President Biden to roll back the Trump-era expansion of short-term limited duration insurance by a 45-point margin. And 71% said that the president taking action on these regulations would make them even more motivated to vote heading into the 2022 midterm elections.

 

Both policies originated from a 2017 executive order signed by former President Donald Trump, and the regulations were finalized late in the last administration. In one of his first actions in office, President Biden signed his own executive order directing relevant agencies to review those final regulations and consider “suspending, revising, or rescinding” them.

 

“With actions on ICHRAs and junk insurance, President Biden has a real opportunity to be responsive to the voters who put him in the White House by addressing discrimination and high health care costs – leading priorities of Biden voters in our survey,” said Cornell Belcher. “His core supporters were very clear that while they are happy with the president’s performance thus far, taking action on ICHRAs and junk insurance would be easy wins that could keep them motivated heading into 2022.”

 

The poll found that President Biden’s job approval – 82% overall – is sky-high among his core supporters, but that they want to see action from his administration to address discrimination and improve health care. The Core Biden Coalition’s top three policy priorities are protecting voting rights, reforming policing, and lowering the cost of health care.

 

“This eye-opening research tells us what Keep US Covered has always believed – ending ICHRAs and rolling back the expansion of junk insurance is a common sense way for President Biden to follow through on his stated goals and the priorities he has set for his administration,” said Keep US Covered Executive Director Sonja Nesbit. “Protecting quality coverage for working Americans and their families is the right policy move, and President Biden’s voters know it.”

 

KEY FINDINGS FROM THE SURVEY

• Core Biden Coalition voters are highly motivated supporters of Biden and Democrats, but a plurality believe the administration is not doing enough to make health care more affordable or accessible.

• Taking action on ICHRAs and STLDI presents a low-hanging electoral opportunity for Democrats to energize their base.

  • 71% of Core Biden Coalition voters say that Biden ending ICHRAs would make them more motivated to vote in the 2022 midterms

• The more Core Biden Voters learn about ICHRAs, the more they support its repeal

  • 68% of Core Biden Coalition voters support rolling back Trump-era junk insurance rules once they learn more about them, 50% strongly so

• The 2020 midterms will once again hinge on Democratic turnout – acting on ICHRAs and junk insurance would allow the administration to show progress on tackling discrimination and health care costs, giving supporters reason to turn out on Election Day.

 

The poll of 1,001 registered Core Biden Coalition voters in eight key battleground states – Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – was conducted by top Democratic Pollster Cornell Belcher, veteran of both Obama presidential campaigns, and his firm brilliant corners Strategy & Research between June 18, 2021 and June 29, 2021. “Core Biden Coalition” includes voters who voted for Biden in 2020 and are part of groups that broke most strongly for the eventual president – African American voters, Hispanic voters, voters under 40, and college educated women.