One in five adults ages 45 and older are suffering from health problems due to financial stress, according to a recent AARP survey.
"Right now people are increasingly concerned about their jobs, retirement savings and simply being able to provide for their families and it's taking a major toll on their health," said Bob Gallo, senior state director for the AARP's Illinois chapter. "It's a harsh irony that worrying about being able to afford healthcare is actually causing health problems."
The AARP telephone survey of 820 Americans was conducted in October by International Communications Research, Inc. Key findings include:
• about one-fifth of those surveyed, or 22 percent, delayed seeing a doctor due to cost;
• 16 percent had to use retirement savings or other savings to pay for medical care;
• 21 percent have cut back on other expenses in order to afford their medical care;
• and one in six, or 16 percent, aren't confident they will be able to afford healthcare in the coming year.
The survey found that health problems due to financial stress are having a greater effect on individuals ages 45-64 than on those ages 65 and older.
According to the AARP, over the last five years health insurance premiums for families have increased by 65 percent. The average cost of health insurance for an American family now exceeds the yearly income of a minimum wage worker.
The Kaiser Family Foundation has found that insurance premiums have increased 119 percent from 1999 to 2008, while workers' earnings have risen just 29 percent.
"Clearly, rising healthcare costs during difficult financial times is a major cause for concern for many people," Gallo said. "In Illinois, AARP will work side by side with state lawmakers to address the growing healthcare crisis."
According to Gallo, the Illinois chapter of the AARP is supporting healthcare quality measures to establish reforms in the insurance industry, thus helping to ensure that people are not denied coverage because of pre-existing health conditions, their age or other factors. The AARP will also press for the expansion of health insurance through Medicaid to cover people between the ages of 50-64.
At the national level, AARP is working on several measures to ensure healthcare is affordable and accessible.