Despite new federal actions, prescription drug worry hits highest level since 2018

A new report from the health policy research firm KFF says the Trump administration has renewed focus on lowering the cost of prescription drugs in the U.S., including the launch of TrumpRx.

The latest polling from KFF shows that about four in 10 U.S. adults (41%) say it is likely the Trump administration’s policies will lower prescription drug costs for people like them, but views generally follow party lines. Only the president’s base remains positive, with 79% of Republicans and 88% of MAGA supporters saying it is likely the administration will lower prescription drug costs, while much fewer independents (35%) and Democrats (11%) say it is likely.

But there is some agreement that the government should be playing a bigger role when it comes to regulating prescription drug costs, with at least two-thirds of Republicans, Democrats and independents saying there is not as much government regulation as there should be in this area.

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Those with lower incomes have greater prescription cost worry

The latest KFF poll shows that despite the Trump administration’s recent actions on prescription drug costs, a majority of the public (59%) is worried about affording prescription drugs for themselves and their families, the largest share since KFF first polled this question in 2018. The shares of adults worried about their prescription costs are larger among adults in households with annual incomes less than $40,000 (67%) and those who take at least four prescription medications (64%).

Looking ahead to the 2026 midterm elections, the Democratic Party currently holds the advantage when it comes to who voters trust to address the cost of health care, including prescription drugs. Nearly four in 10 voters say they trust the Democratic Party to do a better job addressing the cost of prescription drugs (38%), 10 percentage points larger than the share who say they trust the Republican Party more (28%). However, reflecting frustrations with lawmakers over the rising costs, about one in four (27%) voters say they trust “neither party” to handle the issue.

This article was originally published on BenefitsPRO, a sister site of HR Executive. For more content like this delivered to your inbox, sign up for BenefitsPRO newsletters here.

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