A majority of U.S. adults agrees that health care is a right, not a privilege, and that the nation should aim to eliminate health inequities for everyone, according to a new report from the Institute for Policy Solutions at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.
Based on a survey conducted last fall, the institute's 2025 Health Inequities Survey used a national probability sample of 1,578 U.S. adults recruited from the National Opinion Research Center's AmeriSpeak panel, which covers approximately 97% of U.S. households, with an intentional oversample of individuals identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native. Preliminary results were shared at a December 2025 event at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., and the full report was released in February. This was the first year of the survey, which will be conducted annually, with results shared publicly to inform programs and policies.
Despite a prevailing sense that the public is more divided on issues than ever, the survey shows that health equity is an issue on which most adults in the U.S. agree.
"There is broad consensus among the public that the U.S. needs a more equitable health system," says Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, executive director of the Institute for Policy Solutions. "The data show there is political will for collective action to bridge the gap."
Among the key findings of the survey:
- 71% consider access to health care a right, not a privilege.
- 70% think the nation should aim to eliminate health inequities for everyone, and 61% believe that together we can.
- 63% say improving the health of everyone will be very or extremely important in their midterm vote, and 59% would prioritize voting for a candidate committed to eliminating health inequities.
- 57% hold personal values aligned with eliminating health inequities.
The survey also uncovered specific aspects of health equity on which U.S. adults generally agree, suggesting areas in which more and faster progress is possible with evidence-based solutions.
The most widely shared belief (83%) is that preventive care is crucial to keeping us all healthy. People surveyed also said care should be delivered in the languages we understand and feel comfortable speaking (76%); focus on the whole person (75%); be available in the communities where we live and work (60%); and reflect our preferences and address our physical, mental, and social needs (51%). When asked about health care coverage and costs, respondents agreed that coverage should not be denied because of pre-existing conditions (81%), and that services should cost the same and be billed the same, regardless of insurance type (67%).
Despite a collective desire to remove barriers to health equity reflected in the survey, there is less overall agreement on how and whether to prioritize the people who are harmed most by the current system, Guilamo-Ramos notes.
"The fact is that systemic barriers and other circumstances have left some of us behind, and since those people have farther to go to catch up, we must help them catch up first," Guilamo-Ramos says. "Yet much of our political debate implies that solutions, including those related to health care, are zero-sum games in which improving outcomes for one group means taking something away from another. That simply isn't true.
"At IPS, we believe the most effective path forward is Targeted Universalism: setting universal goals while directing focused strategies toward those facing the greatest barriers. Improving health for those furthest from opportunity strengthens health for everyone, the idea at the heart of our Bridging Our Divide campaign slogan: Your health is my health."
The survey data confirms that ideology, on top of lived experience of inequity, has significant influence on what people believe. Fewer than half (41%) of survey respondents strongly support prioritizing the elimination of health inequities for racial or ethnic groups. Additionally, voters polled indicated that improving the health of and eliminating health inequities for racial and ethnic minorities was not particularly important to them in the 2026 midterm elections (42% and 41%, respectively).
"This information is helpful to anyone who runs a business, organizes in their community, or just wants a healthier and more just future for their families and the United States," Guilamo-Ramos says. "Together, we can use the survey to show us how to build a stronger and fairer health care system and better health for us all."
