Americans list the high cost of health care as a top concern, according to a new consumer survey. The survey, conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Consumers for Quality Care (CQC), found that no matter what the demographic group, Americans want more predictability in costs and plans that offer quality coverage.

The CQC—which is a left-leaning advocacy group—is presenting the findings as a “Negotiator's Guide” to policymakers, saying that it clarifies what Americans want from health legislation at a time when health care reform continues to be a hot political topic.

And the survey found the level of concern was high: more respondents listed health care as a top concern (84 percent) than other high-ticket consumer costs: retirement (77 percent), housing (70 percent), higher education (57 percent), or childcare (34 percent).

A premium on predictability

“Americans are overwhelmingly concerned about the cost of uncertainty in the health care system and appear willing to pay more for predictability, better value, and quality of care,” said CQC board member Donna Christensen. “While Trump revives talks of ACA repeal, U.S. health care consumers want policy makers to enact bipartisan changes that give them more certainty in coverage and costs. Policymakers must address patients' fears connected to unpredictability, surprise costs, the complexity of medical billing, and a lack of transparency across the health care system.”

The poll explored questions about the kind of trade-offs that different visions of health care reform may create. For example, questions were asked about whether respondents preferred coverage that was more comprehensive and costly, or more restrictive, with lower monthly premiums and higher consumer cost sharing.

According to the report, “81 percent of Americans would rather pay more on a monthly basis for a health plan that has comprehensive coverage with minimal fees when they need treatments, versus 19 percent who would rather pay less on a monthly basis for a health plan with skimpy coverage and pay large fees for needed treatments.”

No surprises, please

At a time when surprise medical bills—for example when patients are charged for out-of-network services at an in-network hospital—are prompting lawsuits and legislative proposals, the study found that 91 percent of Americans are concerned about receiving surprise bills from hospitals.

In general, survey respondents said they need more information and transparency about health care costs.

The Ipsos survey found that 91 percent of consumers agreed that they need to better understand the costs associated with health care; 91 percent said that pharmaceutical companies should have to provide more information about drug costs and financial assistance for patients; and 75 percent said medical bills are confusing to understand.

Political ramifications

The poll found strong support for more action from the federal government to address the high costs of health care; 88 percent of respondents said lowering out-of-pocket costs for health care should be a top priority for Washington.

“This research makes clear that consumers across the country want policy makers to take tangible steps and push forward real solutions to alleviate the unpredictability of health care costs—and finally help them understand how much they will pay for care,” said Christensen. “The Negotiator's Guide shows what policy solutions are supported by Americans—and those that are not. We urge members of Congress and the administration to use it and work to inject more certainty into the health care system for consumers.”

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Americans want health care cost clarity, consistency

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