New National Poll: Patients Concerned About Uncertain Costs and Quality of Coverage
7 in 10 report that they or someone they know had trouble using their health insurance in the past year,
Insurance premiums top list of family budget concerns
Washington, D.C. (September 13, 2016) The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) today released a first of its kind poll examining Americans' concerns about their health care and coverage. The survey of more than 20,000 health care consumers, conducted by Morning Consult, underscores the importance of access to health care services in the fight against chronic disease. The survey takes a closer look at how consumers use the health care system, the barriers they face and the solutions they would like to see; the data is available at the state and Congressional district level.
"We hear a lot about the mechanics of our health care system, but not enough about how the system helps people or affects family finances," said PFCD Chairman Ken Thorpe, Ph.D. "This survey shines a light on the challenges consumers face when it comes to using their health care coverage. Unfortunately, this survey finds patients are facing less coverage and higher costs than they expected, making access to care - especially for those with one or more chronic conditions - more difficult."
"Morning Consult has transformed how research is conducted and how data is made available to inform the public debate. This unprecedented data collection project with the Partnership to Fight Chronic disease involves nearly 22,000 interviews nationally and allows for in-depth insights at the state level and across numerous disease groups," said Kyle Dropp, Cofounder and Chief Research Officer of The Morning Consult.
Among the survey's key findings:
7 in 10 consumers report that they or someone they know have had difficulty using their health insurance coverage in the past year;
Consumers' top concern is premium costs and its impact on family budgets;
Consumers want a better understanding of their true out-of-pocket costs before receiving care.
"Now is the time to motivate change and innovation among our political leaders to improve access and quality in health care," concluded Thorpe.
Review the findings here and join PFCD in the #Fight4Health.
This poll surveyed nearly 22,000 Americans from May 13, 2016, through September 7, 2016. The margin of error is plus or minus one percent.
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The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) is an international coalition of hundreds of patient, provider, community, business and labor groups, and health policy experts, committed to raising awareness of the number one cause of death, disability and rising health care costs: chronic disease. Learn more by visiting www.FightChronicDisease.org