This story has been updated.
Most Connecticut residents have faced at least one health care financial burden over the last year, according to a new survey from Altarum Healthcare Value Hub.
The survey defines “health care affordability burden” as being uninsured due to high medical costs, delaying or going without health care due to the cost, or struggling to pay medical bills.
The findings also showed that 78% of respondents have some level of worry about affording health care now or in the future.
Meanwhile, health insurance in Connecticut is getting more expensive. The state insurance department in September signed off on double-digit rate hikes for many health care plans. On average, individual health care plans will see a 12.9% hike, and small group plans will go up 7.9%.
“It’s clear that state residents face multiple barriers to affordable, quality care they can rely on. People of color, low- and moderate-income households, and people living with a disability are hit hardest,” said Jill Zorn, senior policy officer at Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, in a press release. “These gaps are unacceptable, and people want action.”
According to the data, 77% of residents who identified as Asian, Native American, and/or Pacific Islander reported themselves as worried about health care becoming unaffordable. Fifty-six percent of Black or African American residents and 57% of white residents identified themselves as worried about affording health care in the future too.
Beth Beaudin-Seiler, director of Altarum’s Healthcare Value Hub, said that regardless of residents’ political party, most residents are worried about health care affordability.
“The data also signaled widespread support across party lines for potential policy solutions,” Beaudin-Seiler said in the press release.
The study found that 68% of Republicans, 75% of Democrats and 67% of residents who identified as neither party agreed the health care system needed change.
The data was collected from July 22 to Aug. 12, 2022 by the Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey. More than 1,300 Connecticut residents took the survey.
Correction
An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the average increase to health care plans. The state insurance department approved an average hike of 12.9% on individual plans and 7.9% on small group plans, not an average hike of 20%.