Health care has gone through many iterations over the last few decades, many of which have revolved around making it both more affordable and more accessible. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically affected the finances of many Delawareans, forcing them to reevaluate their budgets and avoid spending on things they deem unessential. On top of this, Delawareans are finding that they are paying more and more for health care each year, yet receiving the same, or even poorer, levels of care.
It is no surprise that health care costs make up much of the yearly household expenditure. A new survey of Delaware voters from Impact Research and GBAO Research + Strategies, on behalf of Consumers for Quality Care, found that 56% of Delaware voters say, at some point, they’ve skipped or delayed care out of concerns over out-of-pocket costs. Also, according to the survey, 72% of Delaware voters say the costs of health care are going up more than other things they need. Deductibles and premiums are the costs that patients struggle with the most.