How have Americans reacted to rising health care costs?
More than 6 in 10 Americans with health insurance (63 percent) report they experienced an increase in the costs they are responsible for paying under their plan in the past year, according to the 2007 Health Confidence Survey. Of these, a sizeable and increasing percentage say the increased costs have caused them to: • Try to take better care of themselves (81 percent in 2007; 57 percent in 2005). • Talk to doctor more carefully about treatment options and costs (66 percent in 2007; 57 percent in 2005). • Go to the doctor only for more serious conditions or symptoms (64 percent in 2007; 54 percent in 2005). • Delay going to the doctor (50 percent in 2007; 40 percent in 2005). • Not fill or skip doses of their prescribed medications (28 percent in 2007; 21 percent in 2005). In addition, those experiencing cost increases also are likely to report that these increases have negatively affected their household finances. In particular, they indicate that increased health care costs have resu
