One in Three Skip Medical Care Because of Cost

For Release 11:30 am EDT Tuesday, March 25
Contact:  Caren Benjamin 202-637-5018

One in Three Skip Medical Care Because of Cost,
Nationwide Survey of More Than 26,000 Shows

AFL-CIO Finds Broad Health Care Problems
Even Among Employed, Insured, College Educated

8 in 10 Say Health Care Is Priority Voting Issue

Survey Results Include 7,500 Personal Stories

(Washington, March 25)  America’s health care system is failing even
those  who have insurance, an unprecedented 26,419-person survey
sponsored by the  AFL-CIO and Working America confirmed today.  One in
three say their  families had to skip medical care because of cost, a
quarter had serious  problems paying for the care they needed and a huge
majority-79 percent-says  health care is a top voting issue.  The survey
results, one of the largest  opinion pools available on health care,
includes 7,500 personal stories.   Conducted between January 14 and
March 3, 2008, it is available at  www.healthcaresurvey.aflcio.org.
Responses were tabulated and analyzed by  Peter D. Hart Research
Associates. 

Of the more than 26,000 people who took the survey, most are insured
and  employed.  Most are college graduates.  More than half are union
members.

“These are the people you would expect to have positive experiences
with  America’s health case system…the lucky ones-except they’re
not,” said John  Sweeney, president of the 10 million member AFL-CIO.
“They’re hurting… struggling to pay medical bills, skipping doctor
visits and prescriptions  because of costs...and they are extremely
pessimistic about the future of  our country.  They think health care is
one of today’s most important  issues-and they are ready to vote about
it,” Sweeney said.

Health care concerns voters of all ages. Seventy-four percent of the
18-29  year olds who took the survey count health care a very important
voting  issue, as do 80 percent of 50- to 64-year olds.

Ninety-five percent of respondents overall-including 94 percent of the
insured-say health care in America needs fundamental change or to be
completely rebuilt.

More than half of people in insured families say their insurance does
not  cover all the care they need at a price they can afford. Despite
having  insurance, they report not being able to afford prescription
drugs, follow- up care and even preventive care, which are either not
covered or covered  insufficiently.  People who buy their own insurance
in the private market  are more likely than those with employer-provided
health care to report that  critical needs are not covered or not
affordable.

One-third of college graduates report they or a family member skipped
medical care because of cost.  Forty-six percent of respondents report
having to spend between $1000-$5000 out of pocket for health care in the
last year, and another 17 percent spent more than $5000.

Problems are also reported by Medicare recipients, 53 percent of whom
say  their prescriptions are not covered or are unaffordable, despite
the much  hyped PART D legislation that was supposed to change that. 

People who lack insurance-and those who have children younger than 18
who  are not covered-report particularly troubling problems getting the
care they  need because of cost.  In the past year, 76 percent of people
who lack  insurance themselves and 71 percent of people with uninsured
children say  someone in their family did not visit a doctor when sick
because of cost.   Fifty-seven percent of the uninsured and 61 percent
of people with uninsured  children had to choose between paying for
medical care or prescriptions and  other essential needs (such as the
rent or mortgage and utilities).
 
The failures of America's health care system, the survey reveals, are a
significant factor in the pervasive economic distress facing working
families today:
-Eighty-three percent of respondents say their families "have just
enough to  get by" or are "f
alling behind."
-84 percent predict the standard of living will be even worse for the
next  generation.
-Nearly half of the respondents (48 percent) and 60 percent of Latinos
say  they or a family member has stayed in a job just to hold on to
health care  benefits. 

Families are also worried about the future-and with good reason:
-95 percent are "somewhat" or "very" concerned about being able to
afford  health insurance in the coming years.
-Almost two-thirds (61 percent) of respondents with employer-provided
coverage say their costs have gotten worse in the past couple years.
 
“What would you do if you had to choose between food or medicine?”
wrote  Marie, from Madison, Wis.  “I work full time and have health
care through my  employer, but only a percentage is paid by them…I
recently needed  medication, but did not get the medicine.  I
couldn’t….What would I choose?   I choose my children and what
they need….”  The stories submitted are  available at
www.healthcaresurvey.aflcio.org.

Health care quality is also a big concern.  People of color, including
75  percent of African Americans and 76 percent of Latinos, are
especially  likely to voice dissatisfaction with health care quality, as
are 64 percent  overall. 

Health care is one of the top issues for the AFL-CIO, the umbrella
federation of 56 national unions, which is also working to win good
jobs, a  strong economy, fair trade and the freedom of workers to
organize together  for better lives - all part of a broad election year
campaign to “turn  around America.”

The AFL-CIO and its community affiliate, Working America, launched the
seven-week survey in January to better understand the landscape of the
health care crisis in America and provide that information to candidates
running for public office in 2008. The survey, promoted by more than 35
organizations online, was open to anyone.

Respondents to the health care survey say they are ready to put their
dissatisfaction to work.  Ninety percent say they are ready to take some
action to improve health care, such as signing petitions, writing
elected  officials or attending rallies. 

Pledging to send the results of the survey to candidates for office in
2008  at all levels, Sweeney said, “The AFL-CIO will make sure that
voters  understand which candidates are committed to real health care
reform and  which ones are just paying lip service.”

State breakout figures are available for the following states at
www.healthcaresurvey.aflcio.org: Arizona, California, Florida,
Illinois,  Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, New Jersey,  New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee,
Texas, Washington and  Wisconsin.

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