Costs Top List Of Mass. Health Care Concerns

Almost 40 percent of Massachusetts adults say health insurance co-payment or bill costs are a major problem, according to new poll results, which also showed costs are viewed by 51 percent of respondents as the top health care issue, far outpacing health care access, quality, or equity.

"These findings underscore what we know and hear from our members on a regular basis," Sarah Iselin, president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, said. "Residents are struggling with health care costs, causing them to put off care and make tough decisions. This is deeply concerning in a state committed to health care access and, without action, could lead to health implications statewide. This poll underscores the urgent need for our health care community to work together on managing costs and ensuring affordable options for residents, businesses, and state government."

The major health insurer commissioned the poll, which was released Wednesday and also found that four in 10 Massachusetts residents either regularly or occasionally put off medical care due to costs, including 51 percent of people under age 45 and 20 percent of people 65 or older.

Sixty-eight prcent of respondents said they were either extremely or very concerned about the cost of health care. That's more than the 48 percent concerned about jobs and the economy or the 44 percent concerned about the quality of public education. But health care trailed the top two areas for cost concerns in the poll: housing (81 percent) and inflation and the rising cost of living (78 percent).

The Beacon Research poll of 1,000 Massachusetts residents was conducted online and by phone between Feb. 28 and March 6 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Blue Cross said steps it is taking to moderate health care cost growth include working with hospitals and physicians to agree on contracts that protect families and businesses from unsustainable price increases, offering new options to improve access to primary care and mental health care, streamlining prior authorization requirements, addressing prescription drug costs, and spending less than 10 cents of every premium dollar on administrative costs.