Health care is the top concern of American families, according to a Monmouth University Poll conducted in the week prior to Donald Trump’s Presidential inauguration.

Among U.S. consumers’ top ten worries, eight in ten directly point to financial concerns — with health care costs at the top of the worry-list for 25% of people. Health care financial worries led the second place concern, job security and unemployment, by a large margin (11 percentage points) In third place was “everyday bills,” the top concern for 12% of U.S. adults.

Immigration was the top worry for only 3% of U.S. adults; terrorism and national security represented 2% of the American public’s concerns.

In the 2015 Monmouth Poll, 15% said health care was their family’s main worry. Today, this issue is #1 for families across income categories and party affiliation.

“It’s [also] worth noting that issues that have been dominating the news, such as immigration and national security, rank very low on the list of items that keep Americans up at night,” according to Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.

The Poll was conducted by Monmouth University Polling Institute from January 12 to 15, 2017 with a national random sample of 801 adults age 18 and older.

Health Populi’s Hot Points:  Our tea leaves and crystal balls at THINK-Health have been working 24×7 since November 8, 2016, the night that Donald Trump won the electoral college map [shown here]. Red States dominated Blue States by midnight. The fate of the Affordable Care Act seemed to be firmly in repeal mode.

But we who are in the forecasting and strategic planning business in health care are in full-tilt scenario planning mode.

Why? Because this week, it appears that President Trump has postponed the immediate replacement of the ACA into 2018, discussed in various media outlets such as CBS, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal which called the move, “extending the timetable” on replacing, or possibly just “repairing,” the ACA.

In the meantime, health care costs rank top of mind to voters — both Democrats and Republicans, whose blood runs red across party lines. Patients’ patience is wearing thin, regardless of party affiliation, when it comes to health care costs. Note the uptick in peoples’ appreciation of Obamacare since President Trump’s election. Perhaps this is evidence of the phenomenon, “Be careful what you wish for.”