Despite a drop in number of uninsured Americans under Obamacare, more put off medical treatment this year because they can’t afford it, said a new poll released Friday.
A Gallup poll found that one in three Americans say they have put off getting medical treatment that they or their family members needed this year because of cost. That’s in line with the roughly 30 percent figures seen in recent years, but still among the highest readings in the 14-year history of Gallup asking the question.
“Last year, many hoped that the opening of the government health care exchanges and the resulting increase in the number of Americans with health insurance would enable more people to seek medical treatment,” the pollsters said. “But, despite a drop in the uninsured rate, a slightly higher percentage of Americans than in previous years report having put off medical treatment, suggesting that the Affordable Care Act has not immediately affected this measure.”
The increase in delayed treatment because it’s seen as too expensive could reflect high deductibles or copays that are part of the newly insured’s plans, although separate research has shown that most of the newly insured in 2014 are satisfied with their health plans coverage, said Gallup.
“Variation in the pricing for medical treatments, not to mention differences in how much insurance plans cover, could be confusing Americans or making them fear a needed treatment is too expensive. And while the costs of medical procedures aren’t rising as rapidly as they once were, it is still too early to tell if that is an effect of the Affordable Care Act and how prices may change in the future,” said the pollsters.
Uninsured Americans are still the most likely to have delayed medical treatment because of cost, with 57 percent saying they put off treatment, compared with 34 percent with private insurance and 22 percent with Medicare or Medicaid.
But the number of Americans with private health plans who put off medical treatment because of cost jumped from 25 percent in 2013 to 34 percent in 2014, according to the poll.
More upper-income Americans also delayed treatment this year, up to 28 percent from 17 percent last year, showed the poll.
However, the percentage of lower-income Americans — those with annual household incomes under $30,000 — who put off treatment in the past 12 months dropped from 43 percent in 2013 to 35 percent in 2014.
The percentage of middle-income Americans who have put off medical treatment remains roughly the same as last year, at 38 percent.
Asked to rate the seriousness of their medical condition of illness, 22 percent of Americans who delayed treatment due to cost said they had “very” or “somewhat serious” conditions.
“This is double the 11% who say they have put off treatment for a non-serious condition. Furthermore, the percentage who have put off treatment for a serious condition has increased slightly since 2013,” Gallup said.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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