More than 75% of all Americans live with a chronic disease. That means the issues that shape our daily lives — whether we can afford our medications, see our doctors, and get the treatments we need — affect most families in this country. Yet these issues rarely get the attention they deserve when candidates are running for office.
That's worth changing this election season.
The Chronic Disease Coalition has put together a simple, one-page Voter Guide to help patients and their families evaluate candidates on their own terms. We don't tell you who to vote for. We never will. But we do believe every voter deserves to know where candidates stand on the issues that affect their health.
What the Guide Covers
The guide focuses on four areas that matter most to people living with chronic disease:
Affordability — Does the candidate want to make drug costs more stable and predictable? Do they support transparency reforms that hold pharmacy benefit managers accountable? Do they back copay accumulator bans, so that drug assistance cards and coupons actually count toward what patients owe out of pocket?
Access to Care — Do they support limits on prior authorization delays and insurance denials? Do they protect patients from being forced off medications that are working? Do they back telehealth, especially for rural and medically frail patients?
Medicaid and Coverage — Do they support maintaining Medicaid eligibility for people whose chronic conditions make them medically frail? Do they oppose cuts to Medicaid funding or eligibility rules that could leave patients without coverage?
Patient Voice — Do they support including patient representatives on drug pricing boards and government agencies? Have they actually engaged with people living with chronic disease?
You Don't Have to Go to a Town Hall
One of the most important things about this guide is how you use it. You don't have to attend a debate, write a letter, or ask a question in public to find out where a candidate stands. The guide includes four simple research steps anyone can take from home:
- Read their website.
- Watch a speech or interview.
- Check their endorsements and contributors.
- Look up their voting record if they've held office before.
Candidates tell you a lot about their priorities without ever being asked directly. Pay attention to whether they talk about patients — or just systems and budgets.
Why It Matters
Our 2026 national poll of adults living with chronic disease found that two-thirds say healthcare is their primary or top voting issue this election cycle. That is a significant number. It means that as a community, people with chronic disease have real influence over election outcomes — if they use it.
The best way to use it is to be informed. Read the guide. Share it with someone in your life who is managing a condition. Help each other make choices that reflect what you actually need from the people who represent you.
The Chronic Disease Coalition does not endorse candidates or political parties.