Even with ObamaCare, one in three Americans say they, or their families, have to postpone seeking medical treatment because of cost, a new Gallup poll released Friday found.
While the numbers are similar to the 30 percent figures seen in recent years, the new data is the highest in the 14-year history of Gallup's poll regarding the same question.
The question read: "Within the last 12 months, have you or a member of your family put off any sort of medical treatment because of the cost you would have to pay?"
Thirty-three percent of respondents confirmed that they have avoided care due to high costs.
"Last year, many hoped that the opening of the government healthcare exchanges and the resulting increase in the number of Americans with health insurance would enable more people to seek medical treatment," Gallup wrote. "But, despite a drop in the uninsured rate, a slightly higher percentage of Americans than in previous years report having put off medical treatment, suggesting that the Affordable Care Act has not immediately affected this measure."
While uninsured Americans are still the most likely to say they avoided treatment due to costs, at 57 percent, those with private health insurance who have put off treatment have increased from 25 percent in 2013 to 34 percent in 2014. Only 22 percent with Medicare or Medicaid reported putting off medical treatment because of high costs.
The number of Americans with an annual household income less than $30,000, who reported putting off medical treatment, is down from 43 percent in 2013 to 35 percent in 2014. More higher-income Americans, however, did report delaying treatment, rising from 17 percent in 2013 to 28 percent this year.
Many Americans have gained insurance thanks to ObamaCare, but the increased percentage who say they put off seeing a doctor because of cost-related concerns could be due to high deductibles or co-pays that are part of the new insurance plans, even though separate Gallup research has shown that most of the newly insured seem to be happy with their plans.
Gallup suggests that increasing variation in medical treatment pricing, or differences in how much insurances plans cover, could be causing confusion or fear that it may be too expensive to seek treatment.
And while the costs of medical procedures aren't rising as rapidly as they once were, Gallup said it is still too early to tell if that is an effect of the Affordable Care Act and how prices may change in the future.
