(NewsNation) — Americans under the age of 65 are growing less confident in their future health and financial protections, a new Gallup poll revealed.
The poll, conducted in partnership with West Health, shows a sharp increase in concerns among adults about whether Medicare and Social Security will be available when they retire.
A majority, 73%, of poll respondents under age 65 said they were “worried” (41%) or “extremely worried” (32%) about the attainability of Medicare coverage.
Meanwhile, 80% of that same age group said they were anxious about the future of Social Security benefits, with 33% choosing “worried” and another 47% “extremely worried.”
Sixty-five percent of the youngest group, those 18 to 29, said they were worried or extremely worried about Medicare, with 71% showing concern about Social Security.
Honing in on the 50-to-64 range tells a different story. Older adults noted a 13-point increase in worry over Medicare (74%) and a 9-point jump for Social Security (81%) compared to 2022 data.
Despite a higher overall concern among adults on the issues, a majority don’t believe political candidates are addressing aging issues. Around 73% of adults say the issues are prioritized “not too much” (60%) or “not at all” (13%).
The study attributes some of these worries to potential political choices, saying in part, “These worries, along with U.S. adults’ general observation that issues affecting older Americans are not a high government priority, underscore the extent to which such issues could influence voting preferences.”
