Voters Deliver a Clear Mandate: Take on High Health Care Costs and the Corporations That Charge Them - Families USA Skip to Main Content
11.04.2026 / Statement

Voters Deliver a Clear Mandate: Take on High Health Care Costs and the Corporations That Charge Them

Fed up with sky-high prices, unchecked corporate profiteering, premium spikes and Medicaid cuts that shifted costs onto families, voters made health care affordability the defining issue of the election

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a historic election on many fronts, voters sent a resounding message on health care: stop cutting our care and coverage and start lowering health costs. Americans turned out in huge numbers for affordability in general and against high health prices and corporate greed specifically, and candidates across the country made health care costs a central part of their campaign. Many responded to Families USA and Families USA Action’s Stop the Bleed: Cut Costs, Not Care campaign, which asked all candidates the question: “What will you do to hold health care corporations accountable for high health costs?”

In response to the election results, executive director of Families USA Anthony Wright issued the following statement:

“The new Congress doesn’t have just a mandate, it has marching orders to act urgently on health care costs and coverage. After massive cuts to Medicaid, premium spikes, and other policies pushing and pricing families out of coverage, and big health corporations driving health care prices ever higher, voters took their fury to the ballot box. Even with so many issues in play, health care affordability stood out in voter polls and where candidates put their advertising dollars.

“Candidates ran ads promising not just to reverse the cuts to Medicaid, and restore the tax credits to make coverage affordable, but to take on the health care corporations that are charging inflated and irrational prices. Health care costs and coverage were a clear winning message in states of every stripe. Now, these newly elected leaders need to turn their promises into policy.

“Voters have clearly shown they are done with out-of-control prices, coverage cuts, and the dismantling of our public health system. New leaders must take this health care affordability mandate seriously and pass legislation that will urgently lower the health care costs that are bleeding American families dry. When the 120th Congress is sworn in this January, every new member should understand how alarmed voters are on health care costs and coverage.

“For those debating whether the new Congress should consider big and bold reforms or pass practical help for people right away, the answer is yes. Voters can and should expect action on multiple fronts: Congress’s new majorities must use their oversight and investigative power to check this administration’s attack on our public health infrastructure. They should pass an affordability agenda of price reforms with bipartisan support. They can push to restore the tax credits and reverse, delay, or mitigate the Medicaid cuts before millions lose coverage. And beyond repealing and rebuilding, they should develop and pass policies to reimagine and reclaim our health system. Even if they face a veto, those proposals will set the stage for the next phase of health reform.”

Health care was a top campaign issue in the House, Senate and Governor races. For example, many of the most competitive Senate campaigns ran heavily on health care and supported bold reforms to rein in corporate greed in health care and expand access to quality, affordable coverage, producing a new bench of potential leaders on these issues.

  • In Kansas, Adam Hamilton campaigned on health care as a top priority, against the Medicaid cuts, for ACA tax credits, and spotlighting the issue of medical debt.
  • In North Carolina, Roy Cooper, who as Governor expanded Medicaid and took action on medical debt, campaigned on health care; his race was shaped last year when incumbent Senator Tillis dropped out while announcing his opposition to Medicaid cuts in H.R.1.
  • In South Carolina, Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, built a campaign on protecting vaccine access and restoring our public health system, as well as addressing insurer, hospital, and drug company abuses.
  • In Michigan, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who ran the Detroit public health department, ran prominently on Medicare for All, on restoring our public health infrastructure, canceling medical debt, and expanding Medicare drug price negotiations.
  • In Texas, James Talarico talked about health care issues through his experience as a type 1 diabetic, and ran on his record working to cap insulin costs.
  • In Iowa, Josh Turek shared his own personal story with Spina Bifida, undergoing numerous surgeries as a child, and ran on health access and coverage, especially in rural areas.
  • In Maine, Troy Jackson ran on several health issues, including his work on prescription drug prices as the Maine State Senate President.