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Benefits February 27, 2003
Americans Fret More About Health Costs Than Terrorism
February 27, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - It comes as no
surprise that a Kaiser Family Foundation Health poll found
that Americans are concerned about the price of health care
insurance.
Reported by Fred Schneyer
But what was notable was that twice as many respondents confessed that they feared a health coverage increase in the next six months as those who fretted about a terrorist attack, the Kaiser poll found. And more than three times as many were worried about health coverage increases as they were being a violent crime victim.
Nearly four in 10 Americans (38%) told Kaiser pollsters they were worried that their health care expenditures would go up and about the same number fretted that their income wouldn’t keep up with those health price hikes.
The other 11 topics about which respondents were “very worried” would take place in the next six months included:
- that their health plan would be more concerned about cost savings than quality care, 32%
- their quality of health care services would get worse, 27%
- they couldn’t afford prescription drugs, 26%
- they couldn’t access health care they think they need, 24%
- they might lose their savings in the stock market, 22%
- they might be a terrorist attack victim, 19%
- they might not be able to pay their rent or mortgage, 19%
- they might lose their health coverage, 18%
- they would have to stay at a job because of its benefits, 16%
- they might lose their job, 15%
- they might be a violent crime victim, 12%.