The Kaiser Health Security Watch uses Kaiser tracking poll data to measure the public’s health care-related problems and worries, including problems paying medical bills, skipping or delaying health care due to cost, and worrying about their future ability to pay for care and keep insurance. This report describes the overall numbers, and examines which types of people are most likely to report these problems and worries.
Health Security Watch: April 2011
Since passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in March 2010, the public and political debates have centered on the overall merits of the law, while less focus has been placed on the current challenges Americans are facing in the health care system.
A year since passage of the ACA, the March 2011 Health Tracking Poll reviewed several key questions on the problems Americans are facing affording health care and the confidence they have in their ability to pay for care. The survey suggests that many Americans continue to report problems paying medical bills and are taking specific actions to limit personal health spending. Health care‐related problems and worries are particularly intense among the uninsured, those with lower incomes, those with health problems, and for members of racial and ethnic minority groups. To a somewhat lesser extent, there are also differences in problems and worries by gender and age.
