Study Shows That Most Americans Admit To Being Worried About Cost of Health Insurance

ROCHESTER, N.Y.

March 9, 2009—A recent poll of American adults indicates that fully half of U.S. adults (or 48 percent), respond that they are from very worried to being extremely worried about the possibility of their having to pay more for their health care or health insurance. Of those polled recently, only 8 percent report that they are not worried at all. Those who are most worried are those between the ages of 45 to 64 years old (at 56 percent). At the same time those who are younger, ages 18 to 34, report being the least worried at 37 percent.

As a while, Americans are not all that worried about losing their health insurance coverage, still as much as a third (35%) of adults are very or extremely worried. As you might expect, the least worried are among those ages 65 years and older with fully 22% saying they are worried at all, since they have Medicare coverage. This is closely followed closely by the age group of 18 to 34 year olds with 18% saying they are not worried at all.

The above are among the findings of recent Harris HealthDay Poll that was conducted within the United States online between the 25th and 27th of February, 2009 within a nationwide cross section of 2,078 adults ages 18 and over.

It remains that most United States adults report being worried (with 65% report being somewhat, very, or extremely worried) regarding their ability to purchase medical care and prescription medications. The groups that are least worried include the 18-34 year old age group at 54 percent, while the group that is most word at 54 percent, is the 45-54 year old age group, being the most worried at 76 percent. The actual result of this, as reported by the poll, is that a higher proportion of U.S. adults are not taking care of their health because of the high costs. What notably stands out is the one-third (or 34%) who report that that they did not see a dentist during the previous 12 months even though they needed dental care, the close to one-third (28%) who report that they had a medical problem but did not visit their doctor, and the one-fifth (or 22%) who failed to have a prescription filled because of the cost.

This indication of a high level of not getting necessary care because of the cost of medical care is similar with the results for 2007 and 2008. Looking back as an example to 2007 and 2008, results were 21% and 22%, respectively for those who did not fill a prescription because of cost. Information on the percentage of those who reduced their medication to less often than directed has continued steady since 2007 (having been 19% in 2007, 17% in 2008, and 18% in 2009).