Arizonans are sending a clear warning to lawmakers and health insurance companies alike: the system is not working for patients, and reform can no longer wait.
A new poll conducted by CMS Polling and sponsored by the statewide patient group Arizona
Myeloma Network shows overwhelming public concern about the role insurance companies play
in health care decisions—and widespread belief that insurers prioritize profits over patients.
When asked whose interests health insurance companies serve, 85% of respondents said that
insurers act in the best interests of their profits, not patients. Furthermore, Arizonans see
insurance companies as powerful gatekeepers in the health care system. More than eight in ten
respondents (81%) say insurance companies play a major role in determining what care
patients receive, reinforcing concerns that corporate players, not doctors or patients, are driving
medical outcomes.
At the same time, the survey reveals deep confusion and frustration among consumers. Nearly
six in ten Arizonans (58%) say they do not have a complete understanding of their health
insurance coverage, a finding that underscores the complexity and lack of transparency baked
into the current system.
Importantly for policymakers, health care reform is not a fringe issue—it is a political priority.
An overwhelming 87% of respondents say that health insurance reform and lowering health
care costs should be a top priority for Congress in 2026
The poll included 318 completed interviews conducted from a sample of statewide voters on
January 15, 2026.
The survey comes in advance of a set of Jan. 22nd hearings in Congress, where the CEOs of
UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health, Elevance Health, The Cigna Group, and Ascendiun (parent
company of Blue Shield of California) will appear before the House Committee on Energy and
Commerce Subcommittee on Health in the morning, and the House Committee on Ways and
Means in the afternoon.