June Highlights from RWJ’s Consumer Confidence in Health Care Index

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Care Consumer Confidence Index (RWJF Index) is a monthly survey that evaluates consumer confidence in American health care.  Highlights for the month of June include:
•    Americans believe health reform is an important part of addressing the nation’s economic crisis. More than 8-in-10 people (84.7 percent) believe that it is important for President Obama to reform the health care system as a step in solving the nation’s economic woes.
•    People are worried about being able to afford future care. More than four-in-10 Americans (43.3%) worry that they will not be able to pay for their future health care needs in the event of a serious illness. Additionally, nearly four-in-10 (39.8%) worry that they will not be able to afford all of the routine health care services they need (39.8%).
•    Americans fear losing their insurance in the coming year. Nearly one-in-four currently insured adults (23.3%) fear losing their health insurance in the next 12 months.
•    Americans are having trouble paying their medical bills. One-in-four people (25.8%) report trouble paying medical bills during the past year.
•    People worry that medical bills will lead to bankruptcy. Nearly a quarter (22.9%) report worrying that they will go bankrupt from not being able to pay their medical bills.