Survey Reveals Rising Health Care Costs Are Affecting Consumer Behavior

Recently released findings from the 2008 Health Confidence Survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) show that high health care costs are changing the ways Americans use the health care system. Of survey respondents with health insurance coverage, about half (55 percent) reported experiencing an increase in health insurance costs in the past year.

In response to increased health care costs, 76 percent of consumers say they are trying to take better care of themselves and 74 percent indicate they are choosing generic drugs more often. Sixty-three percent of respondents report talking to their doctor more carefully about treatment options and costs, while 62 percent are going to the doctor only for more serious conditions or symptoms. Additionally, 33 percent of Americans with health insurance coverage have looked for less expensive health care providers and cheaper health insurance.

Among insured Americans experiencing an increase in health care costs in the past year, 29 percent indicate they have decreased their contributions to a retirement plan, and more than half (54 percent) say they have decreased their contributions to other savings. Twenty-seven percent state they have used up all or most of their savings, 22 percent have increased credit card debt, and 15 percent say they have borrowed money to pay for health care costs. More than a quarter of respondents (27 percent) indicate that they have had difficulty paying for basic necessities, like food, heat, and housing.

To read the full EBRI Survey, click here.