Most Americans Say the Health Care System Fails Them

More than 70% of U.S. adults really feel the well being care system is failing to fulfill their wants in a minimum of a method, in line with new information from the Harris Ballot, shared solely with TIME.

Regardless of spending extra money per capita on well being care than another rich nation on this planet, the U.S. struggles to match different nations in life expectancy and different well being outcomes. The brand new Harris Ballot survey, which was performed from February to March 2023 and commissioned by the American Academy of Doctor Associates, exhibits that affected person satisfaction can also be struggling because of the excessive prices, inaccessibility, and complicated logistics of U.S. medical care.

Greater than half of the roughly 2,500 U.S. adults who took the survey graded the U.S. well being care system a “C” or under. When requested about elements that forestall folks within the U.S. from getting care, price was the commonest criticism, adopted by the system’s give attention to income, inaccessibility of insurance coverage protection, and confusion round what is roofed by insurance coverage.

Many respondents pointed to comparable issues when requested about their very own private points with the medical system. Solely 27% of people that took the survey mentioned the U.S. medical system meets all of their wants, whereas the remainder listed complaints together with how lengthy it takes to get an appointment (31% of respondents), excessive prices (26%), limitations of insurance coverage protection (23%), and subpar give attention to preventive care and wellness (19%).

These complaints appear to be retaining a minimum of some would-be sufferers away from the physician’s workplace. Greater than a fifth of individuals surveyed mentioned they don’t see a single well being care supplier frequently, and 44% mentioned they’d skipped or delayed wanted care prior to now two years. Amongst those that skipped or delayed appointments, 40% mentioned they did so due to prices, whereas 30% mentioned they couldn’t take time away from work, household, or different obligations.

The survey did, nonetheless, recommend some brilliant spots and paths ahead. Greater than 75% of survey contributors mentioned that suppliers work with them to enhance their well being, greater than 70% mentioned they need stronger relationships with their suppliers, and greater than 65% mentioned they imagine their well being would enhance in the event that they usually labored with a trusted supplier—responses that recommend People haven’t completely given up on the system, regardless of their frustrations.

Write to Jamie Ducharme at jamie.ducharme@time.com.