Economy causing health care troubles for young adults

FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. A survey from Medco Health Solutions shows that younger adults are feeling the crunch when it comes to health care costs more than seniors with the current economic conditions.

Medco has released its survey, “Feeling the Health Care Pinch,” which said about 70 percent of people ages 25 to 34 reported the economic troubles in the last several months has badly affected their ability to pay health-related expenses. But more than half of survey participants ages 55 and older said the down economy hasn’t affected the way they pay for health care. In sum, three in four people said that they were “concerned about the cost of health care.”

Medco also said that the cost of prescription drugs has been a particularly worrisome expense for younger adults as the numbers of chronic diseases in people under 35 years old is on the rise. Diseases like diabetes and hypertension, which can be costly to deal with, seem to be more widespread as of late, the study said.