Majority of New Jerseyans Worried About Medical and Health Care Costs
Large disparities in how much residents worry about health care costs by race, ethnicity, income, and education
Three-quarters of New Jerseyans say they are either “somewhat” or “very” worried about the cost of health care services and unexpected medical bills, while more than 6 in 10 are “somewhat” or “very” worried about their monthly health insurance premium and prescription drug costs. These results come from the latest poll in the New Jersey Health Matters series by the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute in partnership with the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.
Forty-five percent are “very” and another 30 percent “somewhat” worried about unexpected medical bills; 16 percent are “not too” worried, while 7 percent are “not worried at all.” Similar numbers feel worried about the cost of health care services: 44 percent “very,” 31 percent “somewhat,” 15 percent “not too worried,” and 8 percent “not at all.
Thirty-six percent are “very” and 29 percent are “somewhat” worried about their monthly health insurance premium; 19 percent are “not too worried,” and 13 percent are “not worried at all.” Likewise, 33 percent are “very” and 28 percent are “somewhat” worried about their prescription drug costs, while 24 percent are “not too worried,” and 13 percent are “not worried at all.”
“Health care affordability continues to be a top issue for most voters in New Jersey, with about 75 percent of voters reporting being 'very' to 'somewhat' worried about the cost of health care services for themselves or their families,” said Linda Schwimmer, president and CEO of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute. “Even though more people are now insured, people continue to worry about the underlying costs of using that insurance when they go for care or services.”
“New Jerseyans echo national sentiment on worry over health-related costs,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. “Concern is even greater among some of the key demographic groups who are impacted the most.”
Black residents and Hispanic or Latino residents are more likely to say they are “very” worried – by double-digits – than white residents when it comes to unexpected medical bills, the cost of health care services, and their monthly health insurance premiums; over half of Black respondents, as well as over half of Hispanic or Latino respondents, say they are “very worried” about the first two, in particular.
Women are more likely than men to be “very” worried about these health-related expenses. Worry about these costs declines as household income and education rise. Worry is lowest among those 65 years or older compared to younger age cohorts.
Results are from a statewide poll of 1,512 adults contacted through the probability-based Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel via web and live calling from March 26 to April 8. The full sample has a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percentage points.
