In both 2002 and 2003, just
under half of state residents expressed satisfaction with the amount
they pay for health care.
While health care costs are
problematic, service satisfaction remains high.
In 2003, 91% of respondents
report that they currently have health insurance. Three fourths of the
uninsured have been without coverage for more than one year, half of
them because they can’t afford insurance. About one in four works for an
employer that does not offer health insurance.
The costs of insurance
plans have increased a great deal for 32% of respondents and have
increased some for 36%.
Summary
The costs of health care and health care coverage remain a source of
concern for many Wisconsin residents. The quality of care is high, but
may not be affordable for one in three people and their families if the
cost of coverage continues to increase a great deal as it has over the
past year. And this is likely to be a long-term issue for most
uninsureds. Three out of four people without insurance have been
uninsured for more than a year. Half of those now without coverage
cannot afford to buy it.
