Health Care Costs Outweigh MAHA Priorities for U.S. Voters, KFF Poll Finds

While the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement has successfully elevated concerns about food safety and corporate influence into the national conversation, these issues are taking a backseat to the financial burden of medical care. According to a recent KFF Health Tracking Poll, the cost of health care remains the dominant priority for voters—including those who support the MAHA movement—as the 2026 midterm elections approach.

Understanding the MAHA Movement

The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, promoted by the Trump administration and led by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., focuses on a specific set of public health priorities: vaccine safety, the reduction of corporate influence within federal health agencies, and the elimination of pesticides and chemical additives from the food supply.

Support for the movement is closely aligned with political partisanship. About 41% of adults and 43% of registered voters identify as MAHA supporters. The movement’s base is primarily composed of Republicans and supporters of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, who make up two-thirds of its supporters. In contrast, only 21% of MAHA supporters are Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents.

Where MAHA Concerns Align With the General Public

Despite the movement’s partisan lean, its core concerns regarding food and environmental safety resonate broadly across the political spectrum. The KFF poll reveals a strong bipartisan consensus on the need for stricter government oversight:

• Chemical Food Additives: 75% of adults believe there is not enough regulation.
• Agricultural Pesticides: 64% of adults believe regulation is insufficient.

Interestingly, this demand for regulation persists even when potential economic trade-offs are introduced. When told that increased regulation could lead to higher grocery prices, a majority still support stricter rules, though the share of support for food additive regulation drops from 75% to 62%, and pesticide regulation drops from 64% to 52%.

The Crisis of Trust in Health Institutions

The public’s desire for more regulation is mirrored by a profound distrust of the industries being regulated. Very few Americans trust pharmaceutical, food and beverage, or agricultural companies to act in the public’s best interest. Only 21% of adults trust pharmaceutical companies and 25% trust food and beverage companies “a great deal” or “a fair amount.”

This skepticism extends to the government agencies tasked with oversight. Confidence in the ability of the following agencies to act independently without outside interference is notably low:

• FDA: 36% confidence
• EPA: 36% confidence
• CDC: 40% confidence

In stark contrast, the medical profession remains a trusted pillar of health care; 70% of adults express trust in doctors and health care providers to act in the public’s best interest.

The Dominance of Health Care Affordability

While the MAHA movement emphasizes wellness and safety, the financial reality of health care is the primary driver for voters. For 55% of voters, health care costs will have a “major impact” on their decision to vote, and 61% say it will dictate who they support.

This trend holds true even among MAHA supporters. When asked to identify the single most important health priority for the federal government, 42% of MAHA-supporting voters chose lowering health care costs and prescription drug prices. This is double the share who prioritized restricting chemical additives (21%) and far exceeds those focusing on vaccine safety (10%) or limiting corporate influence (8%).

Political Implications and Administration Approval

As the 2026 midterms approach, the Trump administration faces low approval ratings on the very issues the MAHA movement champions. Only 46% of voters approve of the administration’s handling of food policy, and only 38% approve of its handling of vaccine policy.

Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the face of these policies, holds a 39% approval rating among voters. While approval is higher within the MAHA base—with 69% of MAHA voters approving of his performance—the ratings are described as “tepid,” with only about a third of those supporters “strongly” approving.

Regarding party trust, the Democratic Party currently holds a significant advantage over the Republican Party in two key areas:

• Vaccine Policy Trust: 41% (Democrats) vs. 25% (Republicans)
• Agency Independence: 33% (Democrats) vs. 24% (Republicans)

Voters remain evenly split on which party is better suited to ensure the safety of food additives and pesticides, with 31% trusting Democrats, 27% trusting Republicans, and 31% trusting neither.

Summary and Outlook

The MAHA movement has succeeded in highlighting systemic concerns about the American food supply and regulatory independence—issues that now enjoy broad, bipartisan support. However, the data suggests a significant gap between these ideological goals and the immediate needs of the electorate. As the November elections draw closer, the ability of any political movement to address the escalating cost of health care will likely be the deciding factor for the majority of American voters.