Major Problems

• Coloradans say the cost of health care and affordability of health insurance are the health care problems most in need of attention from the governor and state legislature (42%). Voters identify access to health coverage as the next biggest problem (15%).
  
  
• 44 percent say the biggest health care worry in their household is not being able to afford health care, insurance and prescription drugs.
  
  
• Coloradans believe health insurance and prescription drugs are the least reasonably priced health-related products (61% and 54% unreasonable cost, respectively).

Satisfaction

• Overall, Colorado voters (56%) believe the health care system has some good aspects, but needs major changes to work better (24% say it needs to be completely restructured).
  
  
• Despite concerns about cost, 81 percent of voters are very or somewhat satisfied with the health care services they receive.

Insurance

• 90 percent of adults surveyed report that they are covered by health insurance (including government programs).
  
  
• 79 percent of Coloradans are satisfied with their health insurance coverage, 82 percent of which describe it as “comprehensive.” The 20 percent not satisfied cite high expenses (52%) and wanting a more comprehensive plan (26%) as their reasons.
  
  
• 53 percent of the insured report that their co-pay increased in the last 12 months; 40 percent report their deductible increased. Sixty-six percent say they are paying more for health coverage: 38 percent say premiums have risen “a lot” and 28 percent say they’ve risen “a little” in the last 12 months.
  
  
• About 300,000, or about 10 percent of Colorado voters are not covered by health insurance. Affordability is the primary reason for non-coverage. About a third (31%) of the uninsured who were surveyed have received unpaid medical care.
  
  
• In addition to the 10 percent of Coloradans surveyed who say they are uninsured, another 12 percent say they were without coverage some time during the last 12 months due to loss of a job or lack of insurance affordability.
  
  
• 15 percent of Colorado voters say they did not receive the health care they needed in the last year (45% of the uninsured). Being out of work or having a job that doesn’t offer coverage are the main barriers to access.

Health Care Policy and Program Expansion

• 88 percent agree or somewhat agree with the statement: “Nobody should be refused health care services that they need just because they can’t pay for it.” 79 percent believe all people have a right to the same amount and quality of health care service.
  
  
• In order to extend coverage, voters favor expanding current government-type programs. (81% say expand neighborhood clinics; 70% say offer tax credits to help purchase insurance; 82% say expand Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program).
  
  
• 84 percent favor extending Medicare to cover nursing home and home health costs.
  
  
• A smaller percentage (59%) say employers, including small businesses, should be required to provide a basic, minimum level of health insurance to employees (38% oppose). 55 percent oppose a single-payer program (only 33% support).

Paying For New Programs

• 51 percent of voters oppose new taxes, in general, for expanding health coverage. However, voters favor “sin” taxes on cigarettes and liquor (70% favor a $1 cigarette tax, and 73% favor a higher tax on liquor). The only general tax that receives support is a half-cent increase in the state sales tax (66%). However, most of its support is in the weaker “somewhat favor” category (30% strongly favor, 36% somewhat favor). 60 percent favor shifting tobacco settlement funds to health care for uninsured ( 31% strongly favor and 29% somewhat favor). Voters offer little support for new taxes on employers, or for shifting increased costs to those who currently pay insurance premiums.
  
  
• Voters generally do not favor paying higher taxes to expand coverage to the uninsured. Only 49 percent say they would pay more, and of those, 50 percent would not pay more than $4 a month.

Cost Shifting

• Voters understand that the cost of health care for the uninsured ultimately is borne by everyone in the system. 66 percent of Coloradans want another method to pay for the uninsured. Government and taxes are cited as the most likely source of funding.

Health Care Coverage Priorities

• When people are asked to prioritize health care coverage, they want coverage for most medical procedures and services but especially for major illnesses, such as catastrophic care for cancer (76%), hospitalization (65%), emergency room care (68%) and prescription drug coverage (67%).

Media Release | Poll Results >>

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