Research & Community Engagement
Centering people’s shared and diverse needs
to guide our mission and work.
To improve the health care system, we must start by listening to people and including them in every step of the process.
Our goals:
- Champion authentic listening and public engagement to drive long-term change and center USofCare’s priority policies and campaigns around the true needs of people.
- Identify the most effective messages that are resonant, values-based and increase support for our prioritized policies.
- Support USofCare’s near-term efforts to craft and pass policies that address people’s needs.
- Understand people’s immediate needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic to inform federal and state level responses.
Our Research Approach
Our work is designed to strategically include several types of activities that are taking place simultaneously to provide a comprehensive picture of people’s needs, including:
- Commissioned research to learn even more about people’s values, needs, desired outcomes and policy solutions.
- Community conversations to include in-depth interviews and deep listening conversations where we have open dialogue with individuals and small groups.
- Regular analysis of public opinion to ground our findings in the wealth of existing research commissioned by national leaders and to monitor shifts in the landscape. These topline takeaways are then shared with state and federal policymakers.
- Ongoing engagements and consultations with USofCare’s key stakeholders and external advisors, including public opinion research partners and members of the Voices of Real Life and Founder’s Council, who offer diverse viewpoints based on lived experiences and expertise.
- Academic research to identify specific factors and groups that correlate with disparate health outcomes and experiences.
Key Findings
Our research shows cost being the main source of anxiety when it comes to health care and
most agree it is time to build a better health care system.
84% of voters agree that cost is the main source of anxiety when it comes to health care
42% of voters have foregone health insurance in the past because of costs
41% of those under 30 have opted not to seek medical treatment in the last year due to cost
68% express concern about people close to them losing insurance due to loss of employment
Voices of Real Life
In 2019 we launched the Voices of Real Life which aims to bring people from all walks of life to participate in and inform the change making process.
We seek to bring people living ordinary and extraordinary lives to provide perspectives and opportunities for learning. We apply these learnings into United States of Care’s priorities and ongoing work across policy, state and federal engagements.
Latest Research
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February 5, 2025Affordability, News & Updates, North Carolina, Research, State Efforts
North Carolina Voices: New Research on Health Care Affordability & Access
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February 4, 2025News & Updates, Research, State Efforts
State Action to Address Hospital Pricing and Consolidation: Solutions for Policymakers
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November 4, 2024Federal Efforts, Maternal & Child Health Care, News & Updates, Research, State Efforts
Issue Brief: Federal and State Coverage Requirements for Postpartum Care
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