Deloitte Poll: Consumers Express Mixed Views About Health Reform

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Nov 15, 2010, 09:29 ET

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- A new consumer poll by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions found that 41 percent of consumers believe health reform will have a positive impact on fostering economic recovery in the United States, while one out of four (25 percent) believe it will have a negative impact.

Additionally, 38 percent of consumers are not at all knowledgeable about the components of the new health reform law; 64 percent give the current health care system a grade of "C" or below; and 67 percent think fraud has a major influence on driving up the overall cost of health care.

"Since 2008, we have surveyed consumers about their assessment of the U.S. health care system," said Paul Keckley, Ph.D., executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. "Consumers remain mixed in their assessment of the system's performance, concerned about costs, and supportive of changes that improve its value."

Demonstrating the difference in opinions based on the age of respondents, nearly 80 percent of younger adults, 18-24 years old, think health reform will actually have a positive impact on economic recovery. In contrast, only 30 percent of adults 55-64 years old and 34 percent of adults 65 years old and older think it will have a positive impact.

"Our survey findings indicate that the views of respondents are dramatically different based on age," added Keckley. "Younger adults tend to be more optimistic about the impact of health reform, while older adults tend to be more skeptical."

The cost of health care continues to be an issue for many. More than one-third (36 percent) of consumers say they are financially prepared to handle future health care costs, compared with 17 percent who say they are unprepared. Only 5 percent of young adults, 18-24 years old, say they are financially unprepared, likely due to the fact that, under the new health reform bill, they can remain on their parents' coverage until they reach the age of 26. Consumers think health insurance company costs (70 percent), hospital costs (69 percent) and prescription drugs (61 percent) are major influences on driving overall health care system costs.

"When it comes to what consumers pay for health insurance, 37 percent believe that more than 20 percent of their premium dollars is a reasonable amount to cover insurance plan overhead costs, reflecting their understanding of administrative costs associated with their operation," added Keckley.

Respondents were also asked to evaluate whether health reform would impact a variety of issues either positively or negatively.

Eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in the system

Forty-three percent of consumers think health reform will have a positive impact on eliminating waste, fraud or abuse of the health care system, while 21 percent think it will have a negative impact. Fifty-five percent of younger adults (18-24 and 25-34 years old) think it will have a positive impact, while more than one out of four of those 65 years old and older (29 percent) think it will have a negative impact.

Reducing costs of health care

Forty-five percent of consumers think health reform will have a positive impact on reducing health insurance costs, while 30 percent think it will have a negative impact. Sixty-nine percent of younger consumers 18-24 years old and 52 percent of consumers 24-35 years old think it will have a positive impact, while 41 percent of consumers 55-64 years old and 39 percent of consumers 65 years old and older think it will have a negative impact. Forty-three percent of respondents think that health reform could have a positive impact on reducing the costs of health care in hospitals and for doctors, while 29 percent think it will have a negative impact. Sixty-eight percent of younger consumers 18-24 years old and fifty-two percent of consumers 25-34 years old think it will have a positive impact, while 40 percent of adults 65 years old and older think it will have a negative impact.

Reducing costs of prescription drugs

Forty-five percent of consumers think health reform will have a positive impact on reducing the costs of prescription drugs, while 25 percent think it will have a negative impact. Sixty-four percent of 18-24 year-olds think it will have a positive impact, while 30 percent of those 65 years old and older think it will have a negative impact.

Increasing access for the uninsured

More than half (59 percent) of consumers think health reform will have a positive impact on increasing access to affordable health insurance for the uninsured, while one out of five (20 percent) think it will have a negative impact. Seventy-one percent of the younger population (18-24 years old) think health reform will positively impact this issue, while 28 percent of those 65-years-old and older think it will have a negative impact.

Living healthier lives

Sixty-five percent of consumers believe that unhealthy lifestyles that can lead to obesity can have a major influence on driving overall health care system costs. Nearly half (49 percent) of consumers think health reform will positively impact consumers to live healthier lives, while 16 percent think it will negatively affect healthier living. Sixty-five percent of younger adults (18-24 years old) think it will have a positive impact, while 22 percent of older respondents 55-64 years old and 21 percent of respondents 65 years old and older think it will have a negative impact.

Methodology

This Harris Poll National Quorum® was conducted by telephone within the United States on behalf of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions between Sept. 29 and Oct. 4, 2010 among a nationally representative sample of 1,008 adults 18 years old and above. At a 95 percent confidence level, the sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points for the national sample.

For additional information, please visit:
Deloitte Health Reform Library: www.deloitte.com/us/healthreform
Deloitte Center for Health Solutions: www.deloitte.com/centerforhealthsolutions

As used in this document, "Deloitte" means Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries.