Will healthcare costs sway how you vote?

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Will healthcare costs sway how you vote?
Date: May 7, 2026
Host: Sabri Benishore

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Overview

This episode centers on the growing impact of rising healthcare costs on American voters, exploring new poll data and the economic realities facing insured and uninsured families. In addition to healthcare, the show provides brief updates on gig economy adjustments due to rising gas prices, and a segment on international finance focusing on the UAE's request for a U.S. dollar currency swap. The tone throughout is analytical, concise, and accessible, with expert commentary and real data driving the discussion.

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Main Theme: Healthcare Costs and the 2026 Vote

Americans’ Growing Frustration with Healthcare Expenses

• Rising healthcare costs are a top concern for Americans, overtaking even volatile gas prices as a source of financial stress.
• 90% of Americans say healthcare affordability will influence their November voting decisions; over half say it will have a major impact.
• Notable quote:
  "Americans are increasingly fed up with the rising cost of health care, and surveys suggest a wave of resentment is headed toward the ballot box." – Sabri Benishore [01:01]

Key Poll Findings and Expert Insights

• 66% of Americans report stress about affording healthcare, a figure that remains high even when gas prices spike.
• Many insured people fear using their coverage because of high out-of-pocket costs.
• In 2024, over half of adults skipped or postponed care due to cost, including prescriptions and recommended treatments.
• Notable quote:
  "Even at a time when you know gas prices are in front of your face every time you drive by a gas station...health care remained near the top of the list." – Liz Hamill, KFF (as reported by Samantha Fields) [01:33]
• Premiums, copays, and deductibles continue to rise, with particularly abrupt increases for those buying insurance through the ACA Marketplace who lost enhanced subsidies.
• Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have seen a cumulative 300%+ increase over 25 years, outpacing wage growth.
• Notable quote:
  “It’s been over 300% cumulative increase in the amount that workers have to contribute towards their own health insurance premiums over the last 25 years and wages haven’t kept up.” – Vivian Ho, Rice University (via Samantha Fields) [02:24]

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Secondary Stories & Economic News

DoorDash & Gas Price Surge

• DoorDash responds to a 44% spike in gas prices (attributed to ongoing conflict in Iran) by pledging $50 million in additional compensation for drivers.
• Their stock rises 10% in pre-market trading.
  [Brief note, no direct quote] [02:58]

International Finance: UAE Seeks Currency Swap with the US

• Explanation of what a “currency swap line” is: The U.S. sometimes lends dollars to other countries, taking their currency as collateral—a move designed for financial stability.
• The UAE—despite massive foreign reserves and robust sovereign wealth funds—requests a swap line with the Federal Reserve.
• Brad Setzer (Council on Foreign Relations) explains this is puzzling, given the UAE's strong financial position.
• Notable exchange:
  • “Why would they want that?” – Sabri Benishore [06:13]
  • “With the UAE, it’s actually a bit of a mystery...it never hurts to have a little extra dollars cash on hand...But the other theory is that it’s a bit of a signal...you’ve joined the big boys club...countries that have standing swap lines with the Fed.” – Brad Setzer [06:16]
• Setzer argues the Emirates’ request is mostly about prestige, pointing to lack of transparency and data as reasons the Fed has previously declined such requests.
• Notable quote:
  "The most logical explanation is yes, it's a prestige thing...It doesn't have the standards of transparency, doesn't produce high quality economic and financial data, doesn't produce timely data. But it may think that in this moment of distress, it can squeak in." – Brad Setzer [08:34]

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Additional Resources Mentioned

• For more on Gulf States’ oil money, listeners are guided to Marketplace.org.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|----------------------------------------------------| | 01:01 | Introduction to healthcare cost concerns/poll data | | 01:33 | Samantha Fields deep dive on "fear to use insurance" and skipped care | | 02:24 | Vivian Ho on insurance premium increases | | 02:58 | DoorDash responds to gas price surge | | 05:16 | UAE currency swap segment begins | | 06:16 | Brad Setzer interview on UAE's motives | | 08:34 | Prestige and transparency issues with swap lines |

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Statistics that stick:
  “More than half say healthcare costs will have a major impact” on their vote. [01:01]
• On economic anxiety:
  “Even people who have insurance are often afraid to use it.” – Samantha Fields [01:33]
• On the prestige game in global finance:
  “I don’t think the Emirates should get that. You’ve joined the big boys club.” – Brad Setzer [06:16]

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Conclusion

This episode succinctly connects Americans’ mounting healthcare anxieties to the national political mood, offering clear expert insights, fresh polling data, and a look at both domestic and international economic pressures. The emphasis is on affordability, voter sentiment, and policy implications, making it a valuable listen for anyone tracking the intersection of economics and public opinion as election season heats up.

Transcript

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[Sabri Benishore]

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[Sabri Benishore]

Americans patience for rising health care costs is wearing thin From Marketplace, I'm Sabri Ben ashore in New York. Americans are increasingly fed up with the rising cost of health care, and surveys suggest a wave of resentment is headed toward the ballot box. About 90% of people say health care costs will influence whether and how they vote in November, and more than half say it'll have a major impact on those decisions. This is according to a new poll from health policy nonprofit kff. Marketplace's Samantha Fields has more.

[Samantha Fields]

If you ask people what they're most worried about being able to afford these days, health care is number one. That's what KFF found. Back in January, about two thirds of people were stressed about health care costs. Liz Hamill at KFF says when they asked again last month after gas prices spiked, it was still healthcare was at the top of the list, now tied with gas. Even at a time when you know gas prices are in front of your face every time you drive by a gas station. And the fact that health care remained near the top of the list was really striking. Even people who have insurance are often afraid to use it. Sarah Collins at the Commonwealth Fund says in 2024, more than half of adults put off care because it was too expensive. They included not filling a prescription because

[Sabri Benishore]

of the cost, skipping a recommended treatment because of the cost, having a medical problem and not going to the doctor.

[Samantha Fields]

Since then, many people's premiums, co pays and deductibles have risen. Vivian Ho at Rice University says the increases have been most abrupt for people who buy insurance on the Affordable Care Act, Marketplace and who lost enhanced subsidies this year. But everybody else who gets insurance from their employer is also suffering because it's been over 300% cumulative increase in the amount that workers have to contribute towards their own health insurance premiums over the last 25 years and wages haven't kept up. I'm Samantha Fields for Marketplace.

[Sabri Benishore]

Doordash says it plans to help its delivery drivers deal with gas prices that are up 44% because of the Iran war, is expecting to spend $50 million on extra compensation in the second quarter. DoorDash stock is up 10% in pre market trad.

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[Sabri Benishore]

Sometimes countries find themselves in desperate need of US dollars. Maybe they need the dollars to pay back a loan. Sometimes they want dollars to manipulate currency markets to prop up their own currency. Or maybe there's a financial crisis the dollars can help with. Sometimes the US will do. Countries in this situation a Favor, the US will lend them dollars and take the other country's currency as collateral. Usually a pretty good deal. That favor is called a currency swap. The United Arab Emirates wants one. On Monday, the UAE's trade minister said his country is discussing this with the US. Brad Setzer is an economist and senior fellow at the Foreign Relations. About it is the us thanks so much for coming on. Gives a bunch of dollars to a country, UAE in this case, and then that country gives us a bunch of their currency. Why would they want that?

[Brad Setzer]

Well, and with the uae, it's actually a bit of a mystery because the UAE has an enormous stockpile of assets. Abu Dhabi is generally thought to have $2 trillion in foreign assets across its sovereign wealth funds. Its central bank has close to 300 billion in reserves. ABU Dhabi and Dubai have been able to borrow in the government bond markets, in the dollar bond market. So while they are hit with a severe shock from the loss of oil revenue, possibly some capital flight out of Dubai, they appear to have the resources to handle it. So there's two theories for why they may have made the request. One theory is, well, it never hurts to have a little extra dollars cash on hand. If the US is willing to provide it, why not take it? But the other theory, which is what the Emirates have been leaning into, is that it's a bit of a signal. A signal? I don't think the Emirates should get that. You've joined the big boys club. You're on the same plane as the ecb, the bank of England, the Swiss national bank, the bank of Japan, the countries that have standing swap lines with the Fed.

[Sabri Benishore]

You're saying the UAE doesn't really need those dollars, but just wants to be part of the club of countries that get to have them sometimes. Why do you think it should not?

[Brad Setzer]

The Federal Reserve swap line currently has been used basically to provide dollars to your banking system. And I think with respect to the uae, the domestic banking system is a bit too intertwined with the royal family, with the Gulf sovereign wealth funds, with the Emirates sovereign wealth funds to be a good candidate to receive essentially unconditional dollar liquidity. That is generally reserved for countries that have a longer history of arm's length regulation and countries who frankly have bigger banking systems where if those banking systems ran short of dollars, they would be selling US assets and interfering with the conduct of monetary policy. There's a stronger case for a Treasury swap line, but the irony is that the Treasury's Exchange Stabilization Fund, if you stretch it to its maximum limit, has $212 billion available. The Emirates Central bank has $285 billion.

[Sabri Benishore]

So is this like a prestige thing?

[Brad Setzer]

The most logical explanation is yes, it's a prestige thing. This is a request the Emirates have made before. It's a request that is traditionally turned down pretty quickly because the Emirates doesn't need the money, because it doesn't clearly qualify. It doesn't have the standards of transparency, doesn't it doesn't produce high quality economic and financial data, doesn't produce timely data. But it may think that in this moment of distress, it can squeak in.

[Sabri Benishore]

That was Brad Setzer with the Council on Foreign Relations. We also spoke to him about where Gulf states oil money is going and not going right now. You can find [e-mail] or on our podcast in New York. I'm Sabri Benishore with the Marketplace Warning Report. From APM American Public Media.

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