Gallup released this week a Gallup poll that found an increasing number of Americans avoid medical care due to rising prices.
38% of Americans said that in the past year they, or their family members, have put off seeking treatment because of the cost out-of pocket. This is a twelve percent increase over the 26 percent of respondents who stated the same in 2021.
This number has changed since Gallup started tracking it back in 2001. In 2001, 19% said that they put off seeking medical attention because of the high cost. This number rose to 33% in 2014, and 2019 respectively. However, the present 38 percent figure is the highest ever in the survey.
Even more troubling is the 27 percent who said that delayed treatment was necessary for a condition which they consider to be very or slightly serious.
Gallup says:
Americans are more likely than ever to say that their delayed treatment for a family member was due to a serious condition than it is for something minor in 2022. All told, 27% of respondents said that the treatment was for a “very”Or “somewhat”severe condition, illness or injury. 11% of respondents said that it was “not very”Or “not at all” serious. In 2004, Americans voted more often for medical treatment that was necessary to treat serious illnesses. [sic]The 16-point difference in perceived severity of treatment decided against in 2022, is more than any other serious condition. [sic]In 2019, there will be a gap of 17 percent
Those ages 18-49 are the most likely to put off medical care for a very or somewhat serious condition — 35 percent — but one-quarter of those 50-64 also reported doing the same. This percentage dropped to 13% for people 65 years and over.
This survey included 1,020 adult Americans. It was conducted between November 9 and December 2, 2022. This survey has an error margin of +/-4 percent and is based on rising inflation in the United States.
Although the annual rate for inflation is low, It has dropped to 6.5% “it is still a very high level of inflation and far above a level consistent with the Federal Reserve’s statutory mandate to achieve price stability,” Breitbart News’s John Carney reported, noting that U.S. consumers are “experiencing more inflation than consumers have seen in this century”:
In fact, you have to go all the way back to 1982 to find a time when prices were up more than six percent on an annual basis. This means that employees will demand higher wages to offset higher prices. The December average hourly wage was up by three percent, which indicates that workers are trying to recover some of the inflation-related losses they suffered in a previous year. Problem is, this extra spending power could push prices further up and set off the wage-price spiral.
The food price of key foods continues to rise, with the prices for most items increasing. For example, milk, which is a staple food, has seen a 12.5 percent increase.
Grandfather and grandchild share milk. (Jose Luis Pelaez Inc / Getty)
Wall Street JournalSurvey commissioned by the University PublishedThe U.S. government found in November that inflation is a major problem for its finances, across all income brackets.
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