By Jenny Deam
Published 6:02 pm
CDT, Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Six
in 10 Texans say someone in their household has recently skipped or postponed
needed health care and medication because the cost is now out of reach,
according to a new national study.
Rising
costs also mean Texans, even those with insurance, struggle significantly to
pay the medical bills when they do seek care, the Houston Episcopal Health
Foundation and the national Kaiser Family Foundation’s joint study found. The
survey of 1,367 adults in the state was conducted between March and May and is
part of an ongoing partnership between the two foundations examining health
care issues in the state.
In
Texas about 38 percent — more than one in three — said they had trouble paying
health care bills in the past year. Nationally the rate is 27 percent, the
report said.
“The
reality is when you’re trying to pay the rent and the utilities and food,
health care always comes in last,” said Bob Sanborn, president of Children At
Risk, a Houston non-profit group that sees the people behind the numbers every
day.
Policy
analysts say this is especially troubling because as people delay treatments,
their conditions often worsen over time, leading to even higher costs.
Kathy
Eckhold is one who lives with the ever-tightening squeeze. Her husband lost his
$16-per-hour job in the grocery industry last year. When the job vanished so
did his health insurance. And while he has since found a similar position, she
said it came without benefits as does her job as an office manager.
They
need coverage because years ago her husband, now in his mid-50s, had a stroke.
Even though he is recovered he needs maintenance doses of medication, she said.
So,
they rely on COBRA, the federal program that allows people to temporarily
retain their coverage from a previous job —but at a cost. Not only must former
employees pay the full freight of a typically expensive policy without employer
contribution, the plans usually come with a tacked on administrative cost.
The
couple currently pays $800 a month — a brutal stretch of an already tight
budget, she said. The past couple of months they have been able to afford it by
using their tax refund. Soon they will begin draining savings.
“When
COBRA runs out I don’t know what we’re going to do” this fall, Eckhold said.
For
now, her husband has kept his doctor appointments and faithfully refilled
prescriptions. But that, too, could change.
“I’m
really scared,” she said Wednesday. “People our age, poor health is looming
large. We take care of ourselves, but you just never know.”
By
the numbers
The
study found that 61 percent of Texans skip or postpone health care due to its
cost, which includes missing recommended tests or treatments, not filling
prescriptions or even cutting medication in half to make the prescription last
longer. Others report avoiding dental care or mental health treatment.
That
compares with the still high 48 percent nationally who resort to similar
measures, a previous Kaiser study showed.
“Texans
said that their state government should be doing more to help many people get
access to health care and these numbers show why they feel this way,” Elena
Marks, president and CEO of the Episcopal Health Foundation, said in a
statement.
This
week’s collaborative study is the second in an ongoing series looking at the
state of Texas health care access. A survey released last month found that
two-thirds of Texans said the state is not doing enough to help low-income
adults get health care.
An
obvious culprit in the affordability problem facing Texans is the lack of
health insurance, Drew Altman, Kaiser Family Foundation president and CEO, said
in a statement.
Texas
continues to lead the nation in both the rate and number of uninsured with about
4.5 million people without coverage including nearly 700,000 children,
according to health statistics.
Perhaps
most striking, though, is that the new study shows that even those with
insurance are struggling with high health care costs. Nearly half, or 48
percent, of those with coverage still reported it was very or somewhat
difficult to afford care.
One
trend in health insurance in recent years is the prevalence of high-deductible
plans which means that policy holders must pay hundreds if not thousands of
dollars out-of-pocket before their coverage kicks in. As a result, many people
avoid care.
Upcoming
reports will look at Texas attitudes about private insurance, women’s health
issues, the health care experiences of Hispanics in the state, and how outside
social influences affect the health of communities.
jenny.deam@chron.com
twitter.com/jenny_deam
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