Poll finds growing worries in U.S. over rising costs of medical care

ROCHESTER, N.Y. Americans increasingly are fretting about the growing costs of health care and health insurance, a new poll found, and many are shirking medical and dental checkups because they say they can’t afford them.

Nearly half of U.S. adults, 48%, told an online survey from Harris Interactive/HealthDay that they are “very to extremely worried about having to pay more for their health care or health insurance,” according to researchers, and only 8% are not worried at all. Americans in the 45- to 64-year-old age group are most worried [56%], while the younger generation aged 18 to 34 are least affected by concerns.

“As would be expected, those ages 65 years and older are least worried [22% not at all worried] due to their Medicare coverage, and they are followed closely by the 18 to 34 year olds [18% not at all worried],” Harris pollsters noted.

Sixty-five percent of U.S. adults are “somewhat” or “extremely” worried about being able to afford medical care and prescription medications, researchers found.

“This results in proportions of U.S. adults not taking care of their health due to cost,” noted a report on the findings. “Most notably, one-third did not see a dentist although they needed dental care, close to one-third [28%] had a medical problem but did not visit a doctor, and one-fifth [22%] did not fill a prescription.”

The high levels of non-compliance because of the cost of medical care remain similar to 2007 and 2008 results, Harris reported.

“Many people are very worried,” said Harris Poll chairman Humphrey Taylor. “But the number of those who have lost their insurance recently is not enough to increase the already large number of patients who are non-compliant – yet.”