USA Today/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health September 1, 2005
Health Care Costs Survey
Survey Findings
Health care costs are more than a barrier to access to care, our findings show that medical bills create a significant challenge for many American families, including those with insurance, impacting their lives in a variety of ways…
Health care costs create a significant barrier to getting healthcare for many Americans.
More than 4 in 10 adults (44%) report having a chronic condition such as heart disease, cancer, asthma or diabetes, or a handicap or disability that limits their daily lives. This group has a significantly harder time accessing health care specifically because of the costs.
Moderate and lower-income, working adults report significantly more problems paying for medical care compared to their higher-income peers and insured seniors.
Uninsured adults (18% of the public) report considerably greater problems accessing health care because of the costs than those with insurance and say it’s costs that keep them out of the health insurance market.
It appears that people see few alternatives to lower their health care bills beyond skipping care. Few report negotiating prices with their health care providers or seeking cheaper providers via the internet.
Many Americans worry about paying for medical care.
.and many are experiencing rising health care costs. The public lays blame for these rising costs on profits made by drug and insurance companies; few view doctors as being part of the problem.
Prescription drugs play an important role in many people’s lives, and many report problems paying for these drugs.
Lastly, it is important to note that the survey also shows that many Americans are at least somewhat satisfied with the cost of health insurance and feel the health care system works well for them personally, perhaps illuminating why there isn’t a greater public outcry for health system reform. These findings set the context for the significant challenges faced by those who are most dependent on the system.
Summary and Chartpack of the Survey:
http://www.kff.org/newsmedia/upload/7371.pdf
USA Today three part series (third part to be published tomorrow, Sep.2):
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/health-care-crunch-digest.htm?LOC=vanity
Survey Toplines:
http://www.kff.org/newsmedia/7372.cfm
Comment: Use the time that you would have spent reading my comment to save these links. You will need to set aside time to review this study and the USA Today series. As an advocate of health care reform, it will be well worth your time.