WASHINGTON, D.C. — New polling conducted by OnMessage Public Strategies on behalf of The Insurance Watchdog Coalition, a nonprofit organization that educates the public about the harmful impacts of vertically integrated health insurance monopolies, finds that voters in two key Senate battleground states see health insurance as a rising affordability issue and are likely to play a significant role in shaping voter attitudes in this fall’s elections.
The surveys of likely voters in Maine and Ohio also show competitive Senate races in both states.
The polls were conducted March 3–8, 2026 among 600 likely voters in each state via live caller interviews, with a margin of error of ±4.0%.
Toss-Up Races
In Maine, the ranked-choice ballot shows a statistical tie:
· Susan Collins – 42% / Janet Mills – 42%, with 16% undecided or not ranking either candidate
· Graham Platner – 44% / Susan Collins – 42%, with 14% undecided or not ranking either candidate
In Ohio, the Senate race is similarly close:
· Sherrod Brown – 47% / Jon Husted – 45% / 8% undecided
Voters Say Insurance Costs Drive Health Care Affordability Concerns
· When voters are asked specifically about their biggest health care cost pain points, their concerns overwhelmingly center on insurance-related costs and practices. Voters (73% in Maine, 72% in Ohio) say health insurance prices, deductibles, and coverage denials are their biggest personal pain points.
· 71% of Maine voters and 78% Ohio voters agree that “since President Trump has already negotiated deals with drug manufacturers on prescription drug prices, we should turn now to focusing on deals and policies that lower the price of health insurance premiums, address insurance denials, and reduce other barriers to care.”
· Policy proposals focused on increasing transparency in health insurance pricing, reducing health insurance denial rates, and preventing middlemen from marking up prescription drugs find nearly 90% support from voters.
Voters Have Shifted Focus More Directly to Health Insurance Companies
Turning to the issue of health care, voters have expressed increasing concern about rising health insurance costs, and addressing those costs has become a top priority when they think about health care affordability. Thinking about specific pain points in health care, voters point most often to cost issues related to health insurance (73% total in Maine, 72% total in Ohio).
· Health insurance prices (32% in Maine / 29% in Ohio)
· Deductible and copays (24% in Maine / 26% in Ohio).
· Denial of health insurance coverage (18% in Maine / 16% in Ohio)
· Prescription drug prices (7% in Maine / 9% in Ohio).
· Compared to other players in the health care system, voters overwhelmingly believe policymakers should focus on health insurance companies when addressing the problems in health care that impact them most.
o In Maine: 39% health insurance companies / 14% hospital systems / 12% pharmaceutical companies / 6% PBMs
o In Ohio: 37% health insurance companies / 14% pharmaceutical companies / 12% hospital systems / 6% PBMs
o Though hospital systems, pharmaceutical companies, and PBMs are still priorities, health insurance companies are the top concern for voters across the political spectrum by nearly a 3:1 margin.
· When asked which policy would be most helpful in lowering their health care costs, the largest share of voters choose cracking down on health insurance companies.
o Cracking down on health insurance companies for price gouging, raising premiums, and denying coverage (40% in Maine / 37% in Ohio)
o Requiring prescription drugs to be sold to Americans at the same prices as Europeans (16% in Maine / 14% in Ohio).
o Increasing transparency and eliminating hidden fees (11% in Maine / 10% in Ohio)
o Cutting out the middlemen who markup prescription drug costs (12% in Maine / 12% in Ohio).
o Cracking down on health insurance companies for pricing gouging, raising premiums, and denying coverage was the top choice for voters of either party and undecided voters.
Voters Strongly Holding Pharmacy Benefit Managers Accountable, Requiring Insurance Companies To Cover Certain Treatments and Transparency Around Coverage Denials
· 91% in Maine and 90% in Ohio support more transparency for health insurance companies so they can’t use secret rules or computers programs to decide who gets care and when.
· 91% in Maine and 92% in Ohio support requiring health insurance companies to report how often they deny coverage for medicines.
· 89% in Maine and 90% in Ohio support requiring health insurance middlemen, known as pharmacy benefit managers, to pass the savings they negotiate directly onto patients and ban them from marking up the costs of drugs.
· 89% in Maine and 90% in Ohio support requiring health insurance to cover the treatments and procedures your doctor prescribes without denials or surprise bills.
Voters Favor Candidates Who Crackdown on Insurance Premiums Over Drug Price Setting
· In Maine, 58% of Independents and 55% of undecided voters prefer the candidate focused on lowering health insurance premiums over the candidate focused on the government setting drug prices.
· In Ohio, 60% of Independents and 57% of undecided voters prefer the candidate focused on lowering health insurance premiums over the candidate focused on the government setting drug prices.
About the Insurance Watchdog Coalition
The Insurance Watchdog Coalition is a nonprofit organization that educates the public about the harmful impacts of vertically integrated health insurance monopolies and advocates for policies that increase transparency, lower costs, and improve access to care for patients.
Read the full survey memo.