Survey: 80% Of Americans Worry About Affording Medical Care; 27% Have Delayed, Skipped Care They Couldn't Pay For

November 6, 2008 4:27 p.m. EST

New York, NY (AHN) - A new survey of 4,000 adults found 80 percent of Americans are worried that global financial problems will make it difficult for them to pay for medical care.

The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions 2008 Survey of Health Care Consumers survey found that only 6 percent of those surveyed say their family is prepared to handle future medical costs.

Of those who said they had skipped or delayed having a recommended medical procedure done, 27 percent said it was because they didn't have the money to pay for medical treatment.

Other survey findings included the fact that 66 percent strongly favor or lean toward state-mandated health insurance, 29 percent support a tax increase to help cover the uninsured, 37 percent say they would consider a tax hike to help cover the uninsured and 1 in 3 consumers say they want more holistic and alternative care therapies in their treatment program.

Deloitte Center is a nonpartisan research group.