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Thirty-eight percent of Americans will make compromises when inflation hits non-healthcare spending, a West Health-Gallup poll shows
Higher health care costs led 38% of American adults — an estimated 98 million people — to delay or skip treatment, limit driving, care and diet, or borrow money to pay medical bills in the past six months, according to a new survey conducted by West Health and Gallup. The survey was conducted in June 2022, the same month inflation reached 9.1%, a new 40-year high. The percentage of people making these types of compromises was higher in low-income households, but higher earners were not immune. While more than half...
Thirty-eight percent of Americans will make compromises when inflation hits non-healthcare spending, a West Health-Gallup poll shows
Higher health care costs led 38% of American adults — an estimated 98 million people — to delay or skip treatment, limit driving, care and diet, or borrow money to pay medical bills in the past six months, according to a new survey conducted by West Health and Gallup. The survey was conducted in June 2022, the same month inflation reached 9.1%, a new 40-year high.
The percentage of people making these types of compromises was higher in low-income households, but higher earners were not immune. While more than half of households with annual incomes of less than $48,000 cut spending, nearly 20% of households with annual incomes of more than $180,000 also had to make cuts. Women under age 50 are also more likely to cut back on medical care and medications than their male counterparts (36% to 27% each) and much more likely than men in general (22%).
People have been making compromises to pay for health care for years. Inflation has only made things worse as people are now also struggling with high prices for gas, food and electricity. However, unlike this spending, Congress currently has the authority to reduce health care prices, particularly for prescription drugs. The legislation is on the table.”
Timothy A. Lash, President, West Health Institute
Healthcare inflation, which stood at 4.5% in June 2022, was half the overall inflation rate, which rose to 9.1% in June, largely due to rising prices for gasoline, food and rent.
Most Americans don't even think about how inflation could raise health care prices given spikes in gasoline and groceries. When asked, “Which of the following expenses do you expect to see the greatest increase in costs over the next six months?” 43% of respondents mentioned gasoline, followed by food (34%). Healthcare was only mentioned by 3% of respondents.
Aside from the compromises Americans are making to afford health care in the current inflationary environment, one in four (26%) say they have simply avoided medical care or purchasing prescription drugs altogether due to higher prices and have been either unable or unwilling to divert funds somewhere else to pay for it.
The future doesn't look bright for these Americans when it comes to relief at the pharmacy counter. Overall, 39% say they are “extremely concerned” or “concerned” about not being able to pay for care in the next six months, including 33% of Democrats, 44% of Republicans and 42% of Independents.
In addition to focusing on the health care cost challenges Americans face, the survey also examined how inflation is changing consumer behavior. Driving less and saving on utilities were the main ways Americans tried to cope with higher prices.
“Inflation is eroding consumer spending habits in a number of areas,” said Dan Witters, senior researcher at Gallup. "What is found just beneath the surface is that after gas and groceries, the role of inflation in reducing the need for care is large and significant. And the rising cost of care itself, from already high levels, is increasingly having an outsized impact on reducing other forms of spending, exacerbating the problem.
Federal and state governments have little confidence in reducing costs
Regardless of race, gender, income or political identity, Americans have little trust in their elected representatives in Congress or their own state governments to slow rising costs. Three in five adults (59%) are “not at all confident” and another 35% are “not too confident” that their own members of Congress will take action to reduce health care costs in the coming months. Only 6% are “somewhat” or “very confident”.
From a political perspective, Republicans and independents report increased levels of concern about future health care affordability, but Americans in all three political identity groups (more than nine in 10) are "not at all confident" or "not too confident" that members of Congress will take action.
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