As Open Enrollment approached this year, we wanted to learn more about consumers' outlook on their healthcare spending, perceptions of access to care, and whether their views were influenced by the state of the economy.
Would their healthcare spending change in light of current events? Are they happy with their insurance options? In October of 2022, we partnered with Morning Consult, a global intelligence and insights agency, to survey a diverse group of 1,000 consumers across the U.S., searching for answers.
One interesting fact we learned is that while the economic situation is on many people's minds, two-thirds of consumers predict their healthcare spending will not change, and almost half of those uninsured will consider getting coverage.
Current economic conditions are top of mind
If you feel like you hear a lot about the economy on the news, it’s not just you. According to our survey, 74% of consumers report that “the state of the economy” dominates headlines in their news outlets and social media feeds. The "political environment" (53%) and "the COVID-19 pandemic and other health crises" (51%) also receive a lot of coverage in the news and social media, according to our survey results.
"The state of the economy" is the top issue of concern, as 75% say they are "extremely" or "very" concerned about it, followed by 65% for "political environment" and 52% for "shortages of essential products." When thinking about the future of their healthcare, most consumers noted that the state of the economy was the most concerning issue.