Polls: Americans Approve of Personal Care But Dislike Healthcare System

After the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive, Brian Thompson, the topic of healthcare and the insurance industry has become a heated debate, with some even trying to justify the killing. Polls conducted since the shooting have reflected public concerns about the healthcare system, with many Americans expressing negative opinions about the state of healthcare in the United States but positive opinions about their personal healthcare situation.

The latest Gallup poll, conducted Nov. 6–20 with 1,001 U.S. adults before Thompson’s murder on Dec. 4, found that only 11% of respondents rated the quality of healthcare in the United States as excellent, while 33% said it was good. A majority, 54%, described the quality of healthcare as only “fair” or “poor.” Opinions on overall healthcare coverage were even more negative, with just 28% of respondents rating it as excellent or good.

Even worse were opinions on the cost of healthcare. Only 19% of respondents said they were satisfied with the total cost, while an overwhelming 79% expressed dissatisfaction.

Despite broad dissatisfaction with the cost and quality of healthcare on a national level, Americans viewed their personal healthcare experiences much more favorably. Among those polled, 71% said the quality of healthcare they personally receive is excellent or good, compared to just 44% who said the same about healthcare in the United States broadly. Similarly, 58% expressed satisfaction with their personal costs associated with healthcare.

While many Americans criticized the healthcare system generally, the vast majority hold a negative opinion of Luigi Mangione, the alleged shooter of Brian Thompson. In a poll conducted by the Center for Strategic Politics a week after the shooting, 61% of respondents said they had a somewhat or very negative opinion of Mangione, while only 19% viewed him positively. 

The most significant demographic divide in perceptions of Mangione was between younger and older respondents. Among those under age 45, 31% had a positive view of Mangione, compared to just 8% among those 45 and older.

Even more Americans believed the shooting itself was not justified. In the same poll, 73% of respondents said the shooting was somewhat or very unjustifiable, while 12% said it was somewhat or very justifiable. Among those justifying Mangione’s actions was Taylor Lorenz, a former reporter for the Washington Post. During an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored last week, Lorenz said she felt “joy… maybe not joy, but certainly not empathy” in response to Thompson’s murder. On Bluesky, a new social media platform similar to X, Lorenz also reposted controversial content about the shooting, including a meme featuring Tony Soprano from The Sopranos with the caption, “In this house, Luigi Mangione is a hero! End of story!”

In another poll conducted by The Economist/YouGov, despite 66% of respondents saying they were very or somewhat satisfied with their personal health insurance, only 22% said the U.S. healthcare system “works pretty well and requires only minor changes.” By contrast, 68% said the system needs fundamental changes or needs to be completely rebuilt.

Blame for the problems within the healthcare industry is largely directed at corporations and their executives rather than doctors, hospitals, or even the government. According to the poll, only 32% of respondents placed “a lot” of blame on hospitals, 29% on the Affordable Care Act, 39% on Republican politicians, and 19% on Medicare. In contrast, 62% said corporate executives bear “a lot” of the blame, 66% pointed to pharmaceutical companies, and 62% blamed health insurance companies.

While most respondents criticized healthcare companies, opinions on an alternative, government-subsidized health insurance, were split: 42% supported expansion, 16% preferred it remain as is, and 17% favored reduction.