Hub-Altarum Data Brief No. 137 - Wisconsin Healthcare Affordability

DATA BRIEF NO.
137 | JANUARY 2023
Wisconsin Residents Struggle to Afford High Healthcare Costs; Worry

about Affording Healthcare in the Future; Support Government
Action across Party Lines
Key Findings
A survey of more than 1,100 Wisconsin adults, conducted from June 22 to July 6, 2022, found that:
• Nearly 3 in 5 (59%) experienced at least one healthcare affordability burden in the past year;
• 4 in 5 (81%) worry about affording healthcare in the future;
• Lower-income respondents and respondents with disabilities are more likely to go without care
and incur debt due to healthcare costs; and
• Across party lines, respondents express strong support for government-led solutions.
A Range of Healthcare Affordability Burdens

Like many Americans, Wisconsin adults experience hardship due to high healthcare costs. All told,
well over half (59%) of respondents experienced one or more of the following healthcare affordability
burdens in the prior 12 months:
1) Being Uninsured Due to High Costs
Nearly one-half (45%) of uninsured respondents cited “too expensive” as the major reason for not
having coverage, far exceeding other reasons like “don’t need it” and “don’t know how to get it.”
2) Delaying or Going Without Healthcare Due to Cost
Over half (52%) of all respondents reported delaying or going without healthcare during the prior 12
months due to cost:
• 33%—Skipped needed dental care
• 31%—Delayed going to the doctor or having a procedure done
• 25%—Cut pills in half, skipped doses of medicine or did not fill a prescription1
• 25%—Avoided going to the doctor or having a procedure done altogether
• 25%—Skipped a recommended medical test or treatment
• 21%—Had problems getting mental healthcare or addiction treatment
• 14%—Skipped or delayed getting a medical assistive device
Moreover, cost and the ability to get an appointment were the most frequently cited reasons for not
getting needed medical care (reported by 21% and 17% of respondents, respectively), exceeding a host
of other barriers like a lack of transportation and or childcare. Notably, 12% of respondents cited the
fact that their service was not covered as a reason for not getting needed medical care.
Results from Altarum's Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey

HEALTHCARE VALUE HUB
3) Struggling to Pay Medical Bills

Other times, respondents got the care they needed but struggled to pay the resulting bill. Nearly two
in five (38%) experienced one or more of these struggles to pay their medical bills:
• 16%—Used up all or most of their savings
• 15%—Were contacted by a collection agency
• 11%—Were unable to pay for basic necessities like food, heat or housing
• 10%—Borrowed money, got a loan or another mortgage on their home
• 9%—Racked up large amounts of credit card debt
• 9%—Were placed on a long-term payment plan
Of the various types of medical bills, the ones most frequently associated with an affordability barrier
were doctor bills, dental bills and prescription drugs. The high prevalence of affordability burdens for
these services likely reflects the frequency with which Wisconsin respondents seek these services.
Trouble paying for dental bills likely reflects lower rates of coverage for these services.
High Levels of Worry About Affording Healthcare in the Future
Wisconsin respondents also exhibit high levels of worry about affording healthcare in the future. Four
in five (81%) reported being “worried” or “very worried” about affording some aspect of healthcare in
the future, including:
• 67%—Cost of nursing home or home care services
• 64%—Medical costs when elderly
• 62%—Health insurance will become unaffordable
• 61%—Medical costs in the event of a serious illness or accident
• 53%—Prescription drugs will become unaffordable
• 51%—Cost of dental care
• 35%—Cost of treatment for coronavirus/COVID-19
While two of the most common worries—affording the cost of nursing home or home care services
and medical costs when elderly—are applicable predominantly to an older population, they were most
frequently reported by respondents ages 25-54. This suggests that Wisconsin respondents may be
worried about affording the cost of care for both aging parents and themselves.
Worry about affording healthcare, generally, was highest among respondents living in low-income
households, respondents of color and those living in households with a person with a disability (see
Table 1). More than 4 in 5 (85%) of respondents with household incomes of less than $50,000 per
year2 reported worrying about affording some aspect of coverage or care in the past year. Still, the
vast majority of Wisconsin respondents of all incomes, races, ethnicities and levels of ability statewide
are somewhat or very concerned.
Concern that health insurance will become unaffordable is also more prevalent among certain groups
of Wisconsin adults. By insurance type, respondents with coverage they purchase on their own most
frequently reported worrying about affording coverage, followed by those with Wisconsin Medicaid
(see Figure 1). However, those with Wisconsin Medicaid most frequently reported worrying about
losing their health insurance.
DATA BRIEF NO. 137 • JANUARY 2023 PAGE 2

Table 1
Percent Worried or Very Worried, by Income, Geographic Setting, Race/Ethnicity and Disability Status
Any Healthcare Affordability Worry
Income
Less than $50,000 85%
$50,000 - $75,000 84%
$75,000 - $100,000 82%
More than $100,000 73%
Geographic Setting
Rural 82%
Non-Rural 81%
Race/Ethnicity
People of Color 86%
White 80%
Hispanic/Latinx 87%
Non-Hispanic/Latinx 81%
Disability Status *
Household Does Not Include a Person with at Least One Disability 78%
Household Includes a Person with at Least One Disability 87%
Source: 2022 Poll of Wisconsin Adults, Ages 18+, Altarum Healthcare Value Hub's Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey
*Note: Respondents were asked if they or someone in their household identifies as having a disability or long-term health condition related to
mobility, cognition, independent living, hearing, vision and self-care.
Figure 1
Worry about Losing or Affording Health Insurance, by Coverage Type
100% Will Lose Health Insurance Will Not Be Able to Afford Health Insurance
80% 76%
69%
64%
60% 50%
40% 31% 43%
28%
20% 17%
0
Health insurance through Health insurance that I buy Medicare (coverage for Wisconsin Medicaid
my employer or a family on my own seniors and those with (coverage for low-
member's employer (not through my employer)* serious disabilities) income people)
*Note: Responses from people who buy health Insurance on their own numbered less than 100, the threshold to produce a reliable result. Use this
estimate with caution.

Those with household incomes between $75,000 and $100,999 reported the highest rates of worry
about affording health insurance coverage, followed closely by those earning between $50,000 and
$75,000 (see Table 2). Lower-income respondents reported the highest rates of worry about losing
their health insurance, although respondents in other income brackets were not far behind in rates
of worry. Rural respondents and those living in households with a person with a disability were more
likely to be concerned about losing health insurance specifically than their non-rural and non-disabled
counterparts (see Table 2).
Concerns about affording coverage exceeded fears about losing coverage across all income groups,
disability statuses, races/ethnicities, geographic settings and coverage types.
Table 2
Worry About Losing Health Insurance and Health Insurance Becoming Unaffordable, by Income,
Geographic Setting, Race/Ethnicity and Disability Status
Worry About Health
Worry About Losing
Insurance Becoming
Health Insurance
Unaffordable
Income
Less than $50,000 32% 63%
$50,000 - $75,000 25% 66%
$75,000 - $100,000 26% 67%
More than $100,000 27% 55%
Geographic Setting
Rural 32% 65%
Non-Rural 27% 61%
Race/Ethnicity
People of Color 41% 66%
White 26% 61%
Hispanic/Latinx 47% 76%
Non-Hispanic/Latinx 27% 61%
Disability Status
Household Does Not Include a Person with at Least One Disability 22% 59%
Household Includes a Person with at Least One Disability 43% 68%
Differences in Healthcare Affordability Burdens

The survey also revealed differences in how Wisconsin respondents experience healthcare affordability
burdens by income, age, race/ethnicity, geographic setting and disability status.
Income and Age
Unsurprisingly, respondents at the lower and middle end of the income spectrum most frequently
reported experiencing one or more healthcare affordability burdens, with 3 out of 5 respondents
(62%) earning less than $75,000 reporting struggling to afford some aspect of coverage or care in
the past 12 months (see Figure 2). The high levels of healthcare affordability burdens reported by
these groups may be due, in part, to high reported rates of going without care and rationing their
medication due to cost among these income groups (see Figure 3).
Figure 2
Percent with Any Healthcare Affordability Burden in Prior 12 Months, by Income Group
100%
80%
62% 62%
60% 55% 52%
40%
20%
0
Less than $50,000 $50,000 - $75,000 $75,000 - $100,000 More than $100,000
Figure 3
Percent Who Went Without Care or Rationed Medicine Due to Cost in Prior 12 Months, by Income Group
100%
Went Without Care Rationed Medicine
80%
60% 55% 55%

48% 48%
40%
25% 26% 27%
20%
20%
0
Less than $50,000 - $75,000 - More than Less than $50,000 - $75,000 - More than
$50,000 $75,000 $100,000 $100,000 $50,000 $75,000 $100,000 $100,000
Further analysis found that Wisconsin respondents ages 18-44 more frequently reported going
without care due to cost than respondents ages 45 and up (see Figure 4). Respondents ages 35-44
most frequently reported rationing medication due to cost, compared to other age groups.
Insurance Type
Across all insurance types, Wisconsin Medicaid respondents reported the highest rates of rationing
medication and going without care due to cost (see Table 3). Still, more than half of respondents with
employer-sponsored insurance and over one-third of respondents with Medicare reported going
without care due to cost.

Figure 4
Percent Who Went Without Care or Rationed Medicine Due to Cost in Prior 12 Months, by Age Group
100%
Went Without Care Rationed Medicine
80%
61% 63%
59%
60%
53%
42% 40%
40% 31%
27% 29%
24%
20% 13%
8%
0
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Table 3
Percent Rationed Care in Prior 12 Months, by Geographic Setting, Race/Ethnicity, Disability
Status and Insurance Type
Either Did Not Fill a Prescription,
Went Without Care Due
Cut Pills in Half or Skipped a Dose
to Cost
Due to Cost Concerns
Geographic Setting
Rural 55% 29%
Non-Rural 51% 24%
Race/Ethnicity
People of Color 56% 37%
White 51% 24%
Hispanic/Latinx 65% 35%
Non-Hispanic/Latinx 51% 24%
Disability Status
Household Does Not Include a Person with at Least
45% 19%
One Disability
Household Includes a Person with at Least One Disability 67% 38%
Insurance Type
Private Insurance: Either Health Insurance Through
My Employer or a Family Member’s Employer or Health 56% 27%
Insurance I Purchase on My Own
Medicare, Coverage for Seniors and Those with Serious 38% 17%
Disabilities
Wisconsin Medicaid, Coverage for Low-Income People 60% 32%

Race and Ethnicity

Respondents of color reported higher rates of going without care and rationing medication due to
cost when compared to white respondents—this trend is also visible between Hispanic/Latinx and non-
Hispanic/Latinx respondents (see Table 3). Further analysis showed that respondents of color reported
slightly higher rates of encountering problems when getting mental health care and addiction
treatment (see Figures 5 and 6). Similarly, Hispanic/Latinx respondents more frequently reported
going without all types of care than non-Hispanic/Latinx respondents.
Figure 5
Percent Who Went Without Select Types of Care Due to Cost, by Ethnicity
Hispanic/Latinx Non-Hispanic/Latinx
Skipped Needed Dental Care 39%

33%
Avoided Going to Doctor or Getting 38%
Procedure 24%
25% 35%
Rationed Medication 24%
Problems Getting Mental Healthcare 29%
18%
Skipped or Delayed Getting Medical 23%
Assistive Device 13%
20%
Problems Getting Addiction Treatment
8%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Figure 6
Percent Who Went Without Select Types of Care Due to Cost, by Race
People of Color* White
Skipped Needed Dental Care 37%

33%
Rationed Medication 37%
24%
Avoided Going to Doctor or Getting 25%
Procedure 25%
22%
Problems Getting Mental Healthcare 19%
Skipped or Delayed Getting Medical 21%
13%
Assistive Device
16%
Problems Getting Addiction Treatment 8%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

*People of Color group includes respondents selecting American Indian or Native Alaskan, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or other
Pacific Islander.

Disability Status
Of all the demographic groups measured, respondents living in households with a person with a disability
reported the highest rates of going without care and rationing medication due to cost in the past 12
months. Sixty-seven percent of respondents in this group reported going without some form of care
and over one-third (38%) reported rationing medication, compared to 45% and 19% of respondents
living in households without a person with a disability, respectively (see Table 3). Respondents living in
households with a person with a disability also more frequently reported delaying or skipping getting
mental healthcare, addiction treatment and dental care, among other healthcare services, than those in
households without a person with a disability due to cost concerns (see Table 4).
Table 4
Percent Who Went Without Care Due to Cost, by Disability Status
Household Does Not Include Household Includes a Person With
a Person With at Least One
at Least One Disability
Disability
Avoided going to the doctor or having a
20% 37%
procedure done altogether
Problems getting mental healthcare 13% 32%

Problems getting addiction treatment 5% 19%
Skipped needed dental care 29% 43%
Skipped or delayed getting a medical assistive device 7% 30%
Those with disabilities also face healthcare affordability burdens unique to their disabilities—30% of
respondents reporting a disability in their household reported delaying getting a medical assistive
device such as a wheelchair, cane/walker, hearing aid or prosthetic limb due to cost. Just 7% of
respondents without a person with a disability (who may have needed such tools temporarily or may
not identify as having a disability) reported this experience.
Likelihood of Encountering Medical Debt

The survey also showed differences in the prevalence of financial burdens due to medical bills,
including going into medical debt, depleting savings and being unable to pay for basic necessities (like
food, heat and housing) by income, race, ethnicity, disability status and geographic setting. Fifty-eight
percent of respondents of color reported going into debt, depleting savings or going without other
needs due to medical bills, compared to 35% of white respondents (see Table 5). This trend in financial
burden remains true for respondents who identified as Hispanic/Latinx (61%) compared to non-
Hispanic/Latinx respondents (36%).
Respondents living in households with a person with a disability had a similar disparity, with more than
half (59%) reporting going into debt or going without other needs due to medical bills, compared
to 28% of respondents living in households without a disabled member. Geographically, Wisconsin
respondents living in rural counties reported higher rates of going into debt or going without other
needs due to medical bills (40%) than respondents from non-rural counties (37%). In addition,
respondents on Wisconsin Medicaid reported the highest rate of financial burdens due to medical bills
(46%) compared to all other insurance types. However, 40% of respondents with private insurance
coverage also reported incurring medical debt, depleting their savings or going without other needs
due to medical bills.
Table 5
Percent Who Incurred Debt, Depleted Savings and/or Sacrificed Basic Necessities Due to Medical
Bills in Prior 12 Months, by Income, Geographic Setting, Race/Ethnicity, Disability Status and
Insurance Type
Incurred Medical Debt, Depleted Savings and/or
Sacrificed Basic Needs Due to Medical Bills
Income
Less than $50,000 40%

$50,000 - $75,000 38%
$75,000 - $100,000 32%
More than $100,000 36%
Geographic Setting
Rural 40%
Non-Rural 37%
Race/Ethnicity
People of Color 58%
White 35%
Hispanic/Latinx 61%
Non-Hispanic/Latinx 36%
Disability Status
Household Does Not Include a Person with at Least One Disability 28%
Household Includes a Person with at Least One Disability 59%
Insurance Type
Private Insurance: Either Health Insurance Through My
Employer or a Family Member’s Employer or Health Insurance I 40%
Purchase on My Own
Medicare, Coverage for Seniors and Those with Serious Disabilities 26%
Wisconsin Medicaid, Coverage for Low-Income People 46%
Dissatisfaction with the Health System and Support for Change

In light of Wisconsin respondent’s healthcare affordability burdens and concerns, it is not surprising
that they are dissatisfied with the health system:
• Just 34% agreed or strongly agreed that “we have a great healthcare system in the U.S.,”
• While 70% agreed or strongly agreed that “the system needs to change.”
To investigate further, the survey asked about both personal and governmental actions to address
health system problems.

Personal Actions
Wisconsin respondents see a role for themselves in addressing healthcare affordability. When asked
about specific actions they could take:
• 48% of respondents reported researching the cost of a drug beforehand, and
• 78% said they would be willing to switch from a brand name to an equivalent generic drug if
given the chance.
When asked to select the top three personal actions they felt would be most effective in
addressing healthcare affordability (out of ten options), the most common responses were:
• 69%—Take better care of my personal health
• 38%—Research treatments myself, before going to the doctor
• 31%—Do more to compare doctors on cost and quality before getting services
However, 27% of respondents chose the response “There is not anything I can do personally to make
our health system better,” as one of their top three personal actions.
Government Actions
But far and away, Wisconsin respondents see government as the key stakeholder that needs to act
to address health system problems. Moreover, addressing healthcare problems is one of the top
priorities that respondents want their elected officials to work on.
At the beginning of the survey, respondents were asked what issues the government should address in
the upcoming year. The top vote getters were:
• 50%—Healthcare
• 47%—Economy/Joblessness
• 34%—Taxes
When asked about the top three healthcare priorities the government should work on, the top vote
getters were:
• 49%—Address high healthcare costs, including prescription drugs
• 38%—Preserve consumer protections preventing people from being denied coverage or charged
more for having a pre-existing medical condition
• 35%—Improve Medicare, coverage for seniors and those with serious disabilities
• 31%—Get health insurance to those who cannot afford coverage3
Of more than 20 options, Wisconsin respondents believe the reason for high healthcare costs is unfair
prices charged by powerful industry stakeholders:
• 74%—Drug companies charging too much money
• 70%—Hospitals charging too much money
• 64%—Insurance companies charging too much money

When it comes to tackling costs, respondents endorsed a number of strategies, including:

• 93%—Show what a fair price would be for specific procedures
• 92%—Require drug companies to provide advanced notice of prices increases and information to
justify those increases
• 91%—Require insurers to provide up-front cost estimates to consumers
• 91%—Make it easy to switch insurers if a health plan drops your doctor
• 91%—Require hospitals and doctors to provide up-front cost estimates to consumers
• 91%—Authorize the Attorney General to take legal action to prevent price gouging or unfair
prescription drug price hikes
• 91%—Cap out-of-pocket costs for life-saving medications, such as insulin
Support for Action Across Party Lines

There is also remarkable support for change regardless of respondents’ political affiliation (see Table 6).
Table 6
Percent Who Agreed/Strongly Agreed, by Political Affiliation
Generally speaking, do you think of
Total yourself as…
Selected Survey Questions/Statements Republican Democrat Neither

"The U.S. healthcare system needs to change" 70% 66% 76% 67%
The government should show what a fair price would be for a specific 93% 93% 97% 89%
procedure
The government should require drug companies to provide advance notice of 92% 92% 95% 87%
price increases and information to justify those increases.
The government should require insurers to provide up-front cost estimates to 91% 90% 94% 87%
consumers
The government should make it easy to switch insurers if a health plan drops your
doctor
91% 92% 95% 87%
The government should require hospitals and doctors to provide up-front cost
estimates to consumers
91% 91% 94% 88%
Authorize the Attorney General to take legal action to prevent price gouging or
unfair prescription drug price hikes
91% 92% 95% 86%
The government should cap out-of-pocket costs for life-saving medications,

such as insulin
91% 88% 96% 88%
The government should ensure patients can’t be charged out-of-network

prices if they encounter an out-of-network provider through no fault of 90% 87% 95% 87%
their own.4
The government should expand health insurance options so that everyone can 90% 87% 95% 86%
afford quality coverage
The government should set standard prices for drugs to make them affordable 90% 87% 96% 87%

The high burden of healthcare affordability, along with high levels of support for change, suggest that
elected leaders and other stakeholders need to make addressing this consumer burden a top priority.
Moreover, the COVID crisis has led state residents to take a hard look at how well health and public
health systems are working for them, with strong support for a wide variety of actions. Annual surveys
can help assess whether or not progress is being made.
Notes
1. Of the current 52% of Wisconsin respondents who encountered one or more cost-related barriers to
getting healthcare during the prior 12 months, 18% did not fill a prescription, while 17% cut pills in half or
skipped doses of medicine due to cost.
2. Median household income in Wisconsin was $63,293 (2016-2020). U.S. Census, Quick Facts. Retrieved
from: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Wisconsin
3. Two in 3 (66% of) respondents said that they would consider using their tax forms to sign up for health
insurance if they or their family needed it. This high level of interest persisted across racial, ethnic and
income groups, with the highest levels of interest among respondents of color (70%), Hispanic/Latinx
respondents (72%) and those earning between $75,000 and $100,000 (75%).
4. This policy strategy has been implemented at the federal level through the 2020 No Surprises Act,
but state governments may issue their own policies to bring state statute in line with the federal law.
Importantly, unexpected medical bills resulting from ground ambulance services are not addressed by
the No Surprises Act.
ABOUT ALTARUM'S HEALTHCARE VALUE HUB

With support from Arnold Ventures, the Healthcare Value Hub provides free, timely information about the policies and
practices that address high healthcare costs and poor quality, bringing better value to consumers. The Hub is part of Altarum,
a nonprofit organization with the mission of creating a better, more sustainable future for all Americans by applying re-
search-based and field-tested solutions that transform our systems of health and healthcare.
Contact the Hub: 3520 Green Court, Suite 300, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
(734) 302-4600 | www.HealthcareValueHub.org | @HealthValueHub
© 2023 Altarum | www.altarum.org

Methodology
The Altarum Healthcare Value Hub's Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey (CHESS) is designed to elicit
respondents’ unbiased views on a wide range of health system issues, including confidence using the health system, financial
burden and views on fixes that might be needed.
The survey used a web panel from Dynata with a demographically balanced sample of approximately 1,196 respondents who
live in Wisconsin. The survey was conducted in English or Spanish and restricted to adults ages 18 and older. Respondents who
finished the survey in less than half the median time were excluded from the final sample, leaving 1,113 cases for analysis. After
those exclusions, the demographic composition of respondents was as follows, although not all demographic information has
complete response rates:
Demographic Composition of Survey Respondents
Demographic Characteristic Frequency Percentage Demographic Characteristic Frequency Percentage
Household Income Gender
Under $20K 187 17% Woman 717 64%
$20K - $30K 135 12% Man 368 33%
$30K - $40K 117 11% Transwoman 1 <1%
$40K - $50K 132 12% Transman 3 <1%
$50K - $60K 137 12% Genderqueer/Nonbinary 15 1%
$60K - $75K 122 11% Insurance Type
$75K - $100K 122 11% Health insurance through employer or family member’s 406 36%
$100K - $150K 104 9% employer
$150K+ 57 5% Health insurance I buy on my own 87 7%
Age Medicare 295 27%
18-24 216 20% Wisconsin Medicaid 232 21%
25-34 216 20% TRICARE/Military Health System 13 1%
35-44 163 15% Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care 18 2%

45-54 136 12% No coverage of any type 40 4%
55-64 228 21% I don’t know 26 2%
65+ 142 13% Race/Ethnicity
Health Status American Indian or Native Alaskan 29 3%
Excellent 120 11% Asian 21 2%
Very Good 368 33% Black or African American 73 7%
Good 385 35% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 5 <1%
Fair 195 18% White 976 88%
Poor 45 4% Prefer Not to Answer 21 2%
Disability Two or More Races 23 2%
Mobility: Serious difficulty walking or 187 17%
climbing stairs
Hispanic or Latinx – Yes 105 9%
Cognition: Serious difficulty 119 11%
Hispanic or Latinx - No 1,008 91%
concentrating, remembering or making
decisions Party Affiliation
Independent Living: Serious difficulty 73 7% Republican 287 26%
doing errands alone, such as visiting a
Democrat 420 38%
doctor’s office
Neither 406 36%
Hearing: Deafness or serious difficulty 80 7%
hearing Geographic Setting
Vision: Blindness or serious difficulty 50 4% Rural 223 20%

seeing, even when wearing glasses Non-Rural 890 80%
Self-Care: Difficulty dressing or bathing 59 5%
No disability or long-term health 757 68%
condition
Note: Percentages in the body of the brief are based on weighted values, while the data presented in the demographic table is unweighted, except for race/ethnicity data.
Altarum does not conduct statistical calculations on the significance of differences between groups in findings. Therefore, determinations that one group experienced a
significantly different affordability burden than another should not be inferred. Rather, comparisons are for conversational purposes. We do not report any estimates under
N=100 and a co-efficient of variance more than 0.30.

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DATA BRIEF NO.

137 | JANUARY 2023

Wisconsin Residents Struggle to Afford High Healthcare Costs; Worry

A Range of Healthcare Affordability Burdens

Results from Altarum's Consumer Healthcare Experience State Survey

3) Struggling to Pay Medical Bills

DATA BRIEF NO. 137 • JANUARY 2023 PAGE 2

DATA BRIEF NO. 137 • JANUARY 2023 PAGE 3

Differences in Healthcare Affordability Burdens

60% 55% 55%

DATA BRIEF NO. 137 • JANUARY 2023 PAGE 5

DATA BRIEF NO. 137 • JANUARY 2023 PAGE 6

Race and Ethnicity

Skipped Needed Dental Care 39%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Skipped Needed Dental Care 37%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

DATA BRIEF NO. 137 • JANUARY 2023 PAGE 7

Problems getting mental healthcare 13% 32%

Likelihood of Encountering Medical Debt

Less than $50,000 40%

Dissatisfaction with the Health System and Support for Change

DATA BRIEF NO. 137 • JANUARY 2023 PAGE 9

DATA BRIEF NO. 137 • JANUARY 2023 PAGE 10

When it comes to tackling costs, respondents endorsed a number of strategies, including:

Support for Action Across Party Lines

Selected Survey Questions/Statements Republican Democrat Neither

The government should cap out-of-pocket costs for life-saving medications,

The government should ensure patients can’t be charged out-of-network

DATA BRIEF NO. 137 • JANUARY 2023 PAGE 11

ABOUT ALTARUM'S HEALTHCARE VALUE HUB

© 2023 Altarum | www.altarum.org

$150K+ 57 5% Health insurance I buy on my own 87 7%

Age Medicare 295 27%

18-24 216 20% Wisconsin Medicaid 232 21%

25-34 216 20% TRICARE/Military Health System 13 1%

35-44 163 15% Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care 18 2%

Vision: Blindness or serious difficulty 50 4% Rural 223 20%

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