Statewide Poll Results Show Virginia Voters Favor Government Action to Limit Insurance Prior Authorization Policies, Support COPN

From the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association:

Statewide Poll Results Show Virginia Voters Favor Government Action to Limit Insurance Prior Authorization Policies, Support COPN

Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy Survey Highlights Opinions on Health Care Providers, Policies, and Issues Impacting Patients and Consumers  

RICHMOND, VA – Virginia voters who have experienced delays or denial of needed medical care due to restrictive insurance prior authorization policies say they favor government action to limit prior authorization.

A recent statewide poll shows that among those who have experienced such insurance company decisions impacting their access to care, 76 percent support government intervention to limit prior authorization practices.

That is one of the findings in a recent survey from Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy which also shows Virginia voters support keeping the Commonwealth’s certificate of public need (COPN) program by a more than 4-to-1 margin. Overall, 61 percent support keeping the current COPN system in place compared to just 14 percent support for eliminating it. And 70 percent of voters say they prefer the COPN regulatory system that promotes access to care through the distribution of medical services and facilities as opposed to an unregulated system.

In other results, the Mason-Dixon poll shows that:

• 71 percent of voters surveyed expressed concern about health care workforce shortages across clinical roles and facilities and the impact those challenges can have on patient access to care.
• A plurality (31 percent) believe insurance companies are most responsible for rising health care costs, followed by pharmaceutical companies (20 percent), and the government (15 percent).
• Virginia hospitals are viewed favorably by a 5-to-1 margin (75 percent to 15 percent) and 84 percent of voters said they have had a positive experience with hospitals as a patient or family member of a patient.
• Voters’ opinions about insurance companies are more negative, with 59 percent holding an unfavorable view compared to 34 percent favorable.
• Amid growing demand for behavioral health treatment services, 25 percent of voters said they or a family member has recently sought mental health treatment, 12 percent said they had not sought treatment but plan to, and 12 percent said they are unsure about seeking treatment.

The statewide survey results are based on a poll of 800 registered Virginia voters conducted Oct. 21-24, 2024. It featured live landline and cell phone interviews with Virginians from all regions of the state representing the ethnic, gender, age, geographic, and political diversity of the Commonwealth. The poll is the latest in a series of surveys commissioned by the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) to help identify health care issues of concern to Virginians, better understand public sentiment about them, and to inform the Association’s approach to public policy engagement.

About VHHA: The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is an alliance of 111 hospitals and 26 health delivery systems that develops and advocates for sound health care policy in the Commonwealth. Its mission is to achieve excellence in both health care and health to make Virginia the healthiest state in the nation. Its vision is through collaboration with members and stakeholders, to ensure the sustainability of Virginia health care system, transform the delivery of care to promote lower costs and high value across the continuum of care, and to improve health for all Virginians. Connect with VHHA through Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, TikTok , LinkedIn, and YouTube.