KFF Health NewsJul 3 2024 What weighs most heavily on older adults' minds when it comes to health care?"It's on our minds a whole lot because of our age and because everything keeps getting more expensive," said Connie Colyer, 68, of Pleasureville, Kentucky. She's a retired forklift operator who has lung disease and high blood pressure. Her husband, James, 70, drives a dump truck and has a potentially dangerous irregular heart rhythm.
In an election year, "our poll sends a very clear message that older adults are worried about the cost of health care and will be looking to candidates to discuss what they have done or plan to do to contain those costs," said John Ayanian, director of the University of Michigan's Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation.
All of this contributes to a health care affordability squeeze for older adults. Recently published research from the Commonwealth Fund's 2023 Health Care Affordability Survey found that nearly a third of people 65 or older reported difficulty paying for health care expenses, including premiums for Medicare, medications, and expenses associated with receiving medical services.
This is especially worrisome because older adults are more prone to illness and disability than younger adults, resulting in a greater need for care and higher expenses. In 2022, seniors on Medicare spent $7,000 on medical services, compared with $4,900 for people without Medicare. How to deal with unanticipated expenses in the future is a question that haunts Connie Colyer. Her monthly premiums for Medicare Parts B and D, and a Medigap supplemental policy come to nearly $468, or 42% of her $1,121 monthly income from Social Security.
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