Released: October 19, 2009

Zogby Interactive: 26% Say A Family Member Lost Health Coverage in Past Year

Young & Low-Income Groups Most Likely to Have Lost Coverage, 19% of Households Earning More Than $100K Impacted

UTICA, New York - Twenty-six percent of U.S. adults report that at least one member of their immediate family lost their health insurance coverage within the past year, a new Zogby Interactive poll shows.

Somewhat more likely to have lost coverage are those in households earning $35,000 and less (37%) and First Globals^TM those 18-29 years old (35%). Nineteen percent of families earning $100,000 or more also had someone lose coverage during that period, as did 18% of the families of the Private Generation, those 65 and older.

There were also differences based on party affiliation, as a third of Democrats (32%) reported a family member losing coverage, compared to 19% of Republicans. Independents mirrored the overall sample, with 27% saying an immediate family member lost health insurance within the past year.

The Zogby Interactive survey of 2,793 U.S. adults was conducted from Sept. 30-Oct. 2. The margin of error is +/-1.9%.

The survey also found:

28% said that they or a family member had at some time been unable to get the medical care they needed. Again, the incidence was higher for First Globals^TM (35%) and households making $35,000 and less (42%). Partisan differences were more significant, with 44% of Democrats answering yes compared to 11% of Republicans and 26% of Independents who say the same.
42% of respondents are very or somewhat concerned they could lose their health insurance within the next year. In general, concern increases as household income decreases, but even 35% in those in households annually earning $100,000 or more are concerned.
When asked to give all of the reasons why they had been unable to get care, 67% said cost, 58% said lack of insurance and 48% said their insurance would not cover the needed care.

Pollster John Zogby: "We can measure the severity of this recession in the 26% of families in which someone has lost healthcare insurance in the past year. Like the overall impact of the recession, it's not just lower-income families and the young who are losing coverage. This survey also dispels the idea that large numbers do not have health insurance by choice. Cost is the main driver. Responses to these questions show that different attitudes about healthcare reform between Democrats and Republicans are more than philosophical. Democrats report higher incidences of going without care or coverage than do Republicans." (10/19/2009)

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