An overwhelming majority of Americans are concerned about being able to afford health insurance, with some even considering forgoing medical treatments altogether because of the cost, according to a Scripps News/Talker Research poll.
Nearly seven in 10 Americans (69%) say they are concerned about affording their health insurance, with 37% saying they are “very concerned.” More than 70% say they worry about paying for a medical emergency, and 65% have concerns about paying for prescriptions or other medications.
The online survey, taken in the days leading up to open enrollment, underscores the widespread anxiety many face as they make decisions about coverage for the upcoming year.
“Anytime things like health insurance increase, it makes you uncomfortable. ... Right now, everything is expensive,” said Sequoia Ross, a teacher, in an interview with Scripps News Richmond. “I don’t need my insurance to also be a thorn in my side. I have to have it.”
Four in 10 Americans said they have forgone medical treatment altogether because of the price, with 29% saying they have done so multiple times.
Dr. Omer Awan, vice chair of education at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said health insurance has become a point of stress for many Americans.
RELATED STORY | ‘We have to have it’: Gig workers make room in budgets for health care
“It should be zero out of 10 Americans,” he said. “We are one of the wealthiest, if not the wealthiest, nations on the globe. It is unacceptable that 40% of Americans can’t afford health care. If you look at health care insurance, it should be a source of protection, but I’m afraid it has become a source of stress and anxiety for Americans because of high deductibles, high copays and surprise bills they’re not aware of.”Awan said that people forgoing care because of high insurance costs will lead to larger expenses in the future by increasing rates of obesity, heart disease and other chronic conditions.
“Over time, that is going to result in people getting sicker and then using the hospital much later on, when they need it and when it’s too late,” he said. “That is going to result in soaring health care costs even more because, when you can’t prevent a certain disease from occurring, you go to the hospital to seek emergency care when it’s too late and when the price is insurmountable.”He added that it would benefit insurance companies and the federal government to keep costs low to prevent more expensive care in the future.
The poll results come as health care takes center stage in Washington, with Democrats working to include subsidies for Affordable Care Act health exchanges in a deal to reopen the government. Open enrollment on HealthCare.gov is underway, with some Americans at risk of seeing exorbitant increases if tax credits are not extended.
RELATED STORY| ‘My mom always comes first’: Caregivers strain under Medicare changes
Those who get insurance through their employers can also expect a notable price hike, and the survey results show that worries extend across all ages and political affiliations.
Six in 10 say they expect their health costs to go up — including a majority of Generation Z, millennials, Generation X, baby boomers and members of the Silent Generation.
Respondents now rank health care as the second-most pressing issue facing the country, behind inflation and the cost of goods.
Insurance companies bear the brunt of the blame for soaring costs, with 50% blaming them compared with 46% who say elected officials are at fault. Democrats were much more likely than Republicans to point the finger at politicians, 55% to 36%.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump gets low marks on health care, with just 37% of respondents saying they approve of the job he is doing on the issue.
