multiple recent polls have found that economic anxiety in the U.S. is on the rise, and decades of KFF polling show how the rising cost of health care is a key component of people’s economic concerns.New data from the KFF health Tracking poll provide additional insights into who is struggling most in the current economy and how the cost of health care factors into those struggles. it shows that younger adults,LGBT adults,Hispanic adults,and those with more modest incomes are some of the groups most likely to report problems earning a living and affording health care and other necessities. Large shares of those who are uninsured or purchase thier own insurance also report challenges earning a living and paying for care. Those with higher incomes are not immune from the problem of health care affordability; about one in five of those with incomes of $90,000 or more say their household had problems affording health care (19%) or prescription drugs (18%) in the past year.
Many adults are struggling to earn a living, notably those who are LGBT, younger, Hispanic, and living in lower-to-moderate income households. A little over half (53%) of U.S. adults overall say it has been harder for them and their family to earn a living since January, while just 4% say it has been easier and four in ten (43%) say their ability to earn a living hasn’t changed. The share who report difficulty earning a living is higher among certain groups, with nearly three-quarters of LGBT adults (73%), seven in ten of those with household incomes under $40,000 (70%) and those ages 18-29 (69%), and two-thirds of Hispanic adults (66%) saying it has been harder to earn a living this year. Women are also somewhat more likely to report difficulty earning a living compared to men (57% vs. 49%).
Very few across groups say it has been easier for them and their family to earn a living this year, though the share is slightly higher among those with incomes of $90,000 or more (6%) compared to those with incomes under $40,000 (2%).
Uninsured adults and those with Medicaid or self-purchased insurance are more likely than those with employer coverage or medicare to report difficulty earning a living. About seven in ten adults under age 65 who are uninsured (68%) or covered by Medicaid (72%) say it has been harder for them and their families to earn a living since January. The share is similar (68%) among those who purchase their own insurance, many of whom are self-employed or work in small businesses. By comparison, about half (49%) of those covered by an employer and just a quarter (27%) of adults ages 65 and over with medicare coverage say it h
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