Healthcare News

Poll Finds Many Older Women Can’t Afford Health Care, Skip Care Due to Cost

January 30, 2020 Herb 0Comment

With the Iowa Caucuses fast approach, the Washington, DC-based AARP releases the findings of a poll, conducted by The Harris Poll that finds that health Care is considered a key issue for Iowa women over age 50 and over.

This survey was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of AARP from Dec. 5 to Dec. 25, 2019 among 1,001 age 50-plus, self-identified registered women voters in Iowa.

Paying for Care Photo Credit: National Institute on Aging

According to the survey 48 percent of older women voters, including 57 percent of Democrats, rank health care as the most important issue facing the nation. And, 41 percent of women age 50 and over give elected officials a failing grade on dealing with the cost of health care and prescription drugs.

“In 2020, older women plan to turn out in force, making them a key group that could decide this year’s elections,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP EVP and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer in a Jan. 24 statement. “Candidates would be wise to listen to their concerns about issues like the cost of health care.  It is by far the most important issue and has a real impact on older women’s day-to-day lives. Not being able to afford the care they need is putting their health and their financial security at risk,” she says.

Look for Iowa Women to Participate in Caucus

The researchers found that among Democratic age 50 and over women voters in Iowa, 60 percent say they will probably attend a caucus.More than 37 percent say they can’t afford to pay for their health care, and 28 percent report skipping medical care because it was too expensive.

The study’s finding indicated that more than 53 percent believe that drug companies charge too much for medication, and 45 percent say that health insurance companies prioritize profit over patient health.  Close to 43 percent are not confident that they will have enough money to comfortably retire and 42 percent say it’s because their health care costs are too expensive.

Almost 87 percent of the survey respondents believe that health care is a right and not a privilege and older people (89 percent) and those with pre-existing conditions (86 percent) should not have to pay more.

AARP’s Iowa poll is the second in the nonprofit’s. She’s the Difference” series, which is scheduled to run throughout the 2020 election cycle. The series explores the priorities and concerns of women voters ages 50 and older – a key demographic that will most likely determine the outcome of political races across the country. The national poll, the first in the series, found that 95 percent of women over 50 plan to vote in 2020, and nearly 7 in 10 have not decided who they will vote for.

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