Rising health care costs may influence elections

(The Center Square) - A recent report shows rising health care costs could push voters left in this year’s elections, but distrust on the issue extends to both parties. Health care costs topped Americans’ economic stressors in a Kaiser Family Foundation poll with an outlook on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election. Voters across the political spectrum expressed lower confidence in the Trump administration in recent months to help lower health care costs. The shift comes after a popular Affordable Care Act subsidy extension expired in December 2025. Health insurance rates for Nevadans could rise by at least 34% in 2026, according to a Value Penguin report. The report’s author, Talon Abernathy, previously told The Center Square how the ACA cuts could impact the price of health care. “That would be the primary driver, and it’s kind of a double whammy here.” Abernathy explained people enrolled in the ACA program will no longer see the same health care discounts. At the same time, insurance com