Hartford Courant (Sunday)

Worried about health care affordabil­ity? You’re not alone, survey shows.

- By Jessica Bravo CT Mirror Jessica Bravo is a reporter for The Connecticu­t Mirror (https:// ctmirror.org/ ). Copyright 2022 © The Connecticu­t Mirror.

Most Connecticu­t residents have faced at least one health care financial burden over the last year, according to a new survey from Altarum Healthcare Value Hub.

The survey defines “health care affordabil­ity burden” as being uninsured due to high medical costs, delaying or going without health care due to the cost, or struggling to pay medical bills.

The findings also showed that 78% of respondent­s have some level of worry about affording health care now or in the future.

Meanwhile, health insurance in Connecticu­t is getting more expensive. The state insurance department in September signed off on double-digit rate hikes for many health care plans. On average, health care plans will see a 20% hike, if not more.

“It’s clear that state residents face multiple barriers to affordable, quality care they can rely on,” said Jill Zorn, senior policy officer at

Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticu­t, in a press release.

“People of color, low- and moderate-income households, and people living with a disability are hit hardest. These gaps are unacceptab­le, and people want action.”

According to the data, 77% of residents who identified as Asian, Native American and/or Pacific Islander reported themselves as worried about health care becoming unaffordab­le.

Fifty-six percent of Black or African American residents and 57% of white residents identified themselves as worried about affording health care in the future too.

Beth Beaudin-Seiler, director of Altarum’s Healthcare Value Hub, said that regardless of residents’ political party, most residents are worried about health care affordabil­ity.

“The data also signaled widespread support across party lines for potential policy solutions,” Beaudin-Seiler said in the press release.

The study found that 68% of

Republican­s, 75% of Democrats and 67% of residents who identified as neither party agreed the health care system needed change.

The data was collected from July 22-Aug. 12 by the Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey.

More than 1,300 Connecticu­t residents took the survey.

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