New Research Reveals Concern Over Rising Health Care Costs Among Delaware Voters

By Consumers for Quality Care, on July 27, 2022

For Immediate Release
July 27, 2022

Contact:
Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org

New Research Reveals Concern Over Rising Health Care Costs Among Delaware Voters

 

72% of Delaware Voters Say the Costs of Health Care are Going up More than Other Things They Need

 

Dover, Delaware – Delaware voters see lowering out-of-pocket health care costs as more important than ever, according to a new survey of Delaware voters from Impact Research and GBAO Strategies, on behalf of Consumers for Quality Care (CQC). Delawareans are ready to support politicians who make lowering out-of-pocket costs a priority. Read more about the survey here.

“Delaware families are facing rapidly rising deductibles, premiums and other out-of-pocket costs even with insurance, putting a strain on their ability to get care,” said the Hon. Donna Christensen, CQC board member, physician, and former Member of Congress. “Many patients are plagued with thousands of dollars in medical debt that goes into collections. Delaware voters are ready for lawmakers to prioritize lowering costs and improving access to quality care.”

Delawareans’ number one concern when it comes to health care is that out-of-pocket costs are too high, and deductibles are the costs that people struggle with the most, followed by monthly premiums. Ninety-one percent of Delaware voters believe it is more important now than ever that insurance cover mental health care, but more than half (60%) think it is difficult to find mental health providers that are affordable or covered by insurance.

More insights from the research include:

• 72% agree that the costs of health care are going up more than other things they need.
• A majority of voters (82%) think there are problems with the state’s health care.
• Deductibles are the biggest specific pain point when it comes to cost (35%), especially for those with private insurance (40%).
• A majority of voters (52%) have either had their household finances seriously affected by medical debt or are close with someone who has.
• A majority of voters (59%) agree it’s difficult to find mental health providers that are covered by insurance.

Delawareans want their elected officials to take action to lower out-of-pocket health care costs. More than 7-in-10 voters (74%) say they are more likely to support a candidate who makes reducing health care costs their top priority, including strong majorities of persuadable voters (73%) and Independents (72%).

When it comes to lowering health care costs, Delaware voters think the following measures would be effective:

• Capping insurance deductibles at a level that is low enough that people don’t go into debt when getting the health care they need (65%).
• Capping the amount health insurers can charge patients overall (71%).
• Requiring health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers to pass the rebates or discounts they receive from drug companies on to patients (78%).

Relative to other types of health care services, Delaware voters say mental health care services are harder to access in the area where they live. At the same time, voters express less confidence in the quality of mental health care in their area than all other forms of care tested. Given these results, it is not surprising that a majority of Delawareans (53 percent) say we spend too little on mental health care services, compared to less than 1-in-4 who say we spend the right amount (15%) or too much (8%).

“The cost of health care is impacting Delaware families in a tangible way, especially when it comes to rising out-of-pocket costs,” said Karl Agne of GBAO Strategies. “From lowering the cost of deductibles to expanding access to mental health care services, Delaware voters are looking for lawmakers to implement policies that reduce health care costs for people across the state.”

The Impact Research/GBAO Strategies poll on behalf of CQC was conducted June 15-29, 2022. The online survey sampled 600 registered voters in Delaware. Overall results were weighted to reflect the composition of registered voters in the state.

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About Consumers for Quality Care

Consumers for Quality Care (CQC) is a coalition of advocates and former policymakers working to provide a voice for patients in the health care debate as they demand better care. CQC is led by a board of directors that includes the Honorable Donna Christensen, physician and former Member of Congress; Jim Manley, former senior advisor to Senators Edward Kennedy and Harry Reid; Jason Resendez, community advocate and health care strategist; and Mary L. Smith, former CEO of Indian Health Service.