The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Care Consumer Confidence Index: July 2009: Consumer Confidence in Health Care Drops 5.2 Points in July


 

Publication Date: August 2009

Publisher: SHADAC/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Author(s):

Research Area: Health

Type: Report

Abstract:

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Care Consumer Confidence Index (RWJF Index) found that Americans’ confidence in their health insurance coverage and access to health care dropped in July. The RWJF Index fell 5.2 points last month to 97.2, down from the June confidence level of 102.3.

Medicare-eligible seniors reported the highest RWJF Index score of any age group in July (106.8), but the survey also found the largest drop in confidence to be amongst individuals 65 years of age and older. Seniors reported a 10.4 point drop in their confidence level during the month.

Individuals age 50-64 had the lowest confidence level. Last month the confidence level for that group fell 4.4 points from 95.1 points in June to 90.7 in July.

Other highlights:

* 51.9% of people are worried that they will not be able to pay for their future health care needs in the event of a serious illness.
* 47.1% are worried that they will not be able to afford all of the routine health care services they need.
* 35.6% are concerned they will not be able to afford future prescriptions.
* 29.6% report being worried that they will go bankrupt from not being able to pay their medical bills.
* 20.1% report that they or a family member delayed needed medical care in the past year due to cost.
* 17.4% are worried they will lose coverage because they will not be able to afford the increasing costs of their current coverage.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Care Consumer Confidence Index (RWJF Index) is a monthly survey that evaluates consumer confidence in American health care. The RWJF index is created by the University of Minnesota's State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC) using data collected as part of the Surveys of Consumers, conducted by the Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan.