SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
A new report shows that Americans under the current healthcare system are delaying care. (Photo: Jim Watson/Getty Images)
Setting Gallup Record, Quarter of Americans Say They or Family Member Delayed Medical Care Over Cost in Last Year
"This is the 'choice based' system Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg want to preserve."
Dec 08, 2019
One-in-four Americans admits they or a member of their family this past year has delayed medical treatment of a serious illness due to costs, according to a new Gallup survey published Monday.
The number is the highest ever recorded by Gallup on the question.
"Another 8% said they or a family member put off treatment for a less serious condition, bringing the total percentage of households delaying care due to costs to 33%, tying the high from 2014," the report said.
\u201c25% of Americans say they or one of their family members have put off treatment for a serious medical condition due to cost, in the last 12 months. https://t.co/MiVSirXK9J\u201d— GallupNews (@GallupNews) 1575901811
Delayed care can have serious ramifications on health, well being--and even the economy, according to the report.
And it could be a political issue lurking in the background of the 2020 general election:
While most of the increase Gallup sees in delayed treatment occurred over a decade ago, the sharp increase in the past year, particularly among Democrats, suggests that healthcare costs could be a more potent political issue than previously seen. Presidential candidates who acknowledge the problem and propose solutions to address it may find a receptive ear among voters.
The report highlights the dire condition of the U.S. healthcare system at a time when Democratic candidates for the party's 2020 presidential nomination are debating whether or not to institute Medicare for All, the policy advocated for by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), one of the frontrunners in the party's primary.
South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former Vice President Joe Biden have resisted a universal system--a position that The District Sentinel's Sam Knight noted on Twitter in response to the new Gallup data.
"This is the 'choice based' system Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg want to preserve," said Knight.
Knight added that claims from centrist Democrats that all that's needed is to build on the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare," are empty.
"When people say we need to fix Obamacare instead of gunning for single payer, please note that Obamacare did nothing to stop people from delaying treatment for cost based reasons," said Knight. "It did force you to pay monthly premiums to for-profit companies denying you care though!"
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
One-in-four Americans admits they or a member of their family this past year has delayed medical treatment of a serious illness due to costs, according to a new Gallup survey published Monday.
The number is the highest ever recorded by Gallup on the question.
"Another 8% said they or a family member put off treatment for a less serious condition, bringing the total percentage of households delaying care due to costs to 33%, tying the high from 2014," the report said.
\u201c25% of Americans say they or one of their family members have put off treatment for a serious medical condition due to cost, in the last 12 months. https://t.co/MiVSirXK9J\u201d— GallupNews (@GallupNews) 1575901811
Delayed care can have serious ramifications on health, well being--and even the economy, according to the report.
And it could be a political issue lurking in the background of the 2020 general election:
While most of the increase Gallup sees in delayed treatment occurred over a decade ago, the sharp increase in the past year, particularly among Democrats, suggests that healthcare costs could be a more potent political issue than previously seen. Presidential candidates who acknowledge the problem and propose solutions to address it may find a receptive ear among voters.
The report highlights the dire condition of the U.S. healthcare system at a time when Democratic candidates for the party's 2020 presidential nomination are debating whether or not to institute Medicare for All, the policy advocated for by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), one of the frontrunners in the party's primary.
South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former Vice President Joe Biden have resisted a universal system--a position that The District Sentinel's Sam Knight noted on Twitter in response to the new Gallup data.
"This is the 'choice based' system Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg want to preserve," said Knight.
Knight added that claims from centrist Democrats that all that's needed is to build on the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare," are empty.
"When people say we need to fix Obamacare instead of gunning for single payer, please note that Obamacare did nothing to stop people from delaying treatment for cost based reasons," said Knight. "It did force you to pay monthly premiums to for-profit companies denying you care though!"
One-in-four Americans admits they or a member of their family this past year has delayed medical treatment of a serious illness due to costs, according to a new Gallup survey published Monday.
The number is the highest ever recorded by Gallup on the question.
"Another 8% said they or a family member put off treatment for a less serious condition, bringing the total percentage of households delaying care due to costs to 33%, tying the high from 2014," the report said.
\u201c25% of Americans say they or one of their family members have put off treatment for a serious medical condition due to cost, in the last 12 months. https://t.co/MiVSirXK9J\u201d— GallupNews (@GallupNews) 1575901811
Delayed care can have serious ramifications on health, well being--and even the economy, according to the report.
And it could be a political issue lurking in the background of the 2020 general election:
While most of the increase Gallup sees in delayed treatment occurred over a decade ago, the sharp increase in the past year, particularly among Democrats, suggests that healthcare costs could be a more potent political issue than previously seen. Presidential candidates who acknowledge the problem and propose solutions to address it may find a receptive ear among voters.
The report highlights the dire condition of the U.S. healthcare system at a time when Democratic candidates for the party's 2020 presidential nomination are debating whether or not to institute Medicare for All, the policy advocated for by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), one of the frontrunners in the party's primary.
South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former Vice President Joe Biden have resisted a universal system--a position that The District Sentinel's Sam Knight noted on Twitter in response to the new Gallup data.
"This is the 'choice based' system Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg want to preserve," said Knight.
Knight added that claims from centrist Democrats that all that's needed is to build on the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare," are empty.
"When people say we need to fix Obamacare instead of gunning for single payer, please note that Obamacare did nothing to stop people from delaying treatment for cost based reasons," said Knight. "It did force you to pay monthly premiums to for-profit companies denying you care though!"
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.