High health care costs continue to hit Coloradans hard, with two out of three respondents to a new survey saying they have delayed or missed health care because of the cost in the past 12 months Nearly three in four said they had trouble affording health care in the past year.
That’s according to a survey of 1,400 Colorado residents released Monday by the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, a nonprofit health care advocacy group. The survey, which is part of the National Consumer Health Survey (CHESS), was conducted from March 26 to April 12.
The survey covered topics such as hospital prices, prescription drug costs and affordability. Its results come despite reform efforts in recent years by Colorado policymakers to roll back the cost.
“The data shows us that there are still high levels of concern and concern with respondents who want to see more policies around transparency,” said Beth Beaudin-Seiler, Director of Applied Research and Analytics. , Altarum Healthcare Value Hub, on a call with reporters.
“It really highlights the depth of the problems around health care affordability,” said Adam Fox, deputy director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative (CCHI). “I think Colorado has made important steps in the right direction, but I think the reality is that health care costs continue to rise. We see that in different data sources.”
In recent years, Colorado lawmakers and the governor have tackled a variety of issues, from health insurance to drug pricing and hospital funding transparency.
Respondents say responsibility for higher costs falls on the powerful health care industries, according to the poll.
More than 70 percent of people said that drug companies, hospitals and insurance companies charge too much.
The survey found that 68 percent of respondents delayed or missed medical care due to high costs. The issue is even more pressing for low-income respondents and those with disabilities, who also reported high rates of delays and unexpected care. For many, financial problems meant accumulating medical debt, reducing their savings or neglecting basic needs.
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Respondents of color reported higher rates of lack of care due to cost compared to non-Hispanic whites, Beaudin-Seiler said.
Across the board, a large majority, 83 percent, report that they are worried about their ability to pay for health care in the future.
“This study is important to understand how consumers get health care even when there is more coverage,” said Priya Telang, director of communications at CCHI, in a press release.
Hospitals and insurers said they are working to reduce costs.
The state-run hospital association said it has always supported price transparency and partnered with others for lower prices.
“Every hospital in Colorado complies with state and federal laws to post detailed cost information on their websites and use other methods to notify patients of costs in advance,” said Cara Welch, director of chief negotiator for the Colorado Hospital Association. email statement. “Hospitals and health systems have also invested in tools and equipment to provide custom estimates to patients based on their insurance plans, including online estimating tools and call centers with billing experts. Patients they are always encouraged to call their insurance company and their hospital to get an estimate of how much their care will cost.”
“Costs are a direct reflection of hospital, provider and drug costs that range from 4 percent to 10 percent annually” according to the latest Colorado Division of Insurance cost report (2021), said Brandon Arnold, Colorado manager. Health Planning Association, by email. “Health insurance providers will continue to negotiate and advocate for lower prices in Colorado including policies that save people money on their health care and increase cost transparency policies.”
The cost of prescription drugs has also forced Coloradoans to report that they have trouble paying for their medications and that they often do not take them as prescribed.
More than half of the people who responded to this survey reported that they were somewhat or very worried about buying prescription drugs.
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More than a quarter said they cut pills in half, didn’t take all recommended doses or simply left prescriptions unfilled because of the cost. Research has found this to be true for people at different income levels; while 63 percent of those earning less than $50,000 annually report taking those steps, so do 41 percent of those earning more than $100,000 a year.
People are looking for solutions, across parties, according to research.
Only 27 percent agreed with the statement: “We have a good health care system in the United States.” More than two-thirds agreed that “the health care system in the United States needs to change .”
According to the poll, more than nine in ten people supported many changes, such as requiring hospitals, doctors and insurers to provide up-front cost estimates to consumers, and, if insurance it lowers your doctor, making it easier to switch to another health plan. . The same number of respondents said they would support reducing out-of-pocket costs for life-saving medications like insulin.
In recent years, Colorado lawmakers have taken steps to address the cost of drugs.
For example, in 2021, Colorado became the second state in the United States to try to lower the rising cost of insulin, a hormone that people with diabetes take daily to help control blood sugar levels.
The law capped prices at $100 for a month’s supply, regardless of how much insulin an individual needed.
The government has also moved forward with the purchase of Epi pens and other epinephrine injectors.
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