Health insurance a top concern amid job loss
Consumers are taking actions to save costs on prescriptions and medical treatment
Last month the government reported the national unemployment rate reached 8.9 percent as another 539,000 nonfarm payroll jobs were lost.
While the job loss number was smaller than months past, it remains indicative of the tough financial conditions facing American families. And for many, the prospect of losing a job means that healthcare insurance may become unaffordable.
A recent study by ORC Guideline revealed that many people are already struggling to manage medical costs.
ORC Guideline reports that 13 percent of Americans do not have health insurance and a similar number have borrowed money to pay outstanding healthcare bills.
Even those who do have a health insurance plan are finding ways to cut costs.
Although 16 percent of those surveyed say they are foregoing a doctor recommended treatment or procedure because of cost, half are switching to generic medicines and 17 percent are taking medicine less frequently than they should.
A reported 7 percent have dropped healthcare coverage completely because it was too expensive.
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Posted: May 18, 2009
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