Health Care Costs Not a Difficult Problem for Most Americans ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Majorities of the U.S. public say they know what their health care premiums, doctor visits, prescription drugs and deductibles cost while far fewersay they do not, according to the results of a recent new Harris Interactive(R) poll conducted for The Wall Street Journal Online's Health Industry Edition. People who say they "know exactly" how much they pay for their health insurance premiums include those who purchase their own health insurance (61%), have employer-provided insurance (45%) or are insured through Medicare (56%). Twelve percent of all insured adults say they "have no idea" what their premiums cost. Overall, few found paying for health care difficult except for those on Medicare whose percentages were higher than for other groups. "The good news is that most people do not find it difficult to pay their insurance premiums or out-of-pocket costs. The bad news is that those who find it very difficult -- up to 20 million adults -- include many sick, low-income people who really need the care," says Humphrey Taylor, chairman of The Harris Poll(R) at Harris Interactive. TABLE 1 HOW MUCH PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT WHAT THEY PAY IN HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS "Do you know exactly how much you pay for . . . Your monthly health insurance premium?" Base: Have Health Insurance All Insured Adults with: Adults Employer- Individually Medicare Provided Purchased % % % % Know exactly 46 45 61 56 Know, but not exactly 24 27 16 24 Have no idea 12 13 13 4 Don't pay 19 15 9 16 Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding. TABLE 2 HOW MUCH PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT WHAT THEY PAY FOR DOCTORS' VISITS "Do you know exactly how much you pay for . . . the amount you pay each time to see a doctor?" Base: Have Health Insurance All Insured Adults with: Adults Employer- Individually Medicare Provided Purchased % % % % Know exactly 60 72 52 45 Know, but not exactly 18 16 22 27 Have no idea 8 7 17 7 Don't pay 13 5 9 21 Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding. TABLE 3 HOW MUCH PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT WHAT THEY PAY FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS "Do you know exactly how much you pay for . . .the amount you pay each time you buy a drug with a doctor's prescription?" Base: Have Health Insurance All Insured Adults with: Adults Employer- Individually Medicare Provided Purchased % % % % Know exactly 56 62 43 62 Know, but not exactly 26 27 30 25 Have no idea 10 1018 6 Don't pay 8 2 9 8 Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding. TABLE 4 HOW MUCH PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT WHAT THEY PAY IN DEDUCTIBLES "Do you know exactly how much you pay for . . .your deductibles?" Base: Have Health Insurance All Insured Adults with: Adults Employer- Individually Medicare Provided Purchased % % % % Know exactly 50 54 52 57 Know, but not exactly 20 21 19 21 Have no idea 12 12 17 9 Don't pay 17 13 12 12 Note: Percentages may not add up exactly dueto rounding. TABLE 5 HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO PAY HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS "How difficult is it for you to pay each of the following -- your monthly health insurance premium?" Base: Have Health Insurance All Insured Adults with: Adults Employer- Individually Medicare Provided Purchased % % % % Very difficult 5 3 17 9 Somewhat difficult 14 12 25 22 Not very difficult 19 21 24 18 Not at all difficult 38 46 17 31 Don't pay 24 19 17 19 Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding. TABLE 6 HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO PAY FOR DOCTORS' VISITS "How difficult is it for you to pay each of the following -- the amount you pay each time you see a doctor?" Base: Have HealthInsurance All Insured Adults with: Adults Employer- Individually Medicare Provided Purchased % % % % Very difficult 4 2 8 11 Somewhat difficult 12 11 18 14 Not very difficult 27 31 31 21 Not at all difficult 41 50 27 32 Don't pay 16 6 16 22 Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding. TABLE 7 HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO PAY FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS "How difficult is it for you to pay each of the following -- the amount you pay each time you buy a drug with a doctor's prescription?" Base: Have Health Insurance All Insured Adults with: Adults Employer- Individually Medicare Provided Purchased % % % % Very difficult 7 5 11 17 Somewhat difficult 18 16 25 24 Not very difficult 27 31 25 23 Not at all difficult 37 44 21 27 Don't pay 11 4 18 9 Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding. TABLE 8 HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO PAY DEDUCTIBLES "How difficult is it for you to pay each of the following -- your deductible?" Base: Have Health Insurance All Insured Adults with: Adults Employer- Individually Medicare Provided Purchased % % % % Very difficult 9 8 14 14 Somewhat difficult 18 19 22 19 Not very difficult 22 23 26 21 Not at all difficult 28 33 13 27 Don't pay 23 17 25 19 Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding. Q022304 Downloadable PDFs of Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Health-Care Polls are posted at http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/newsletters_wsj.asp. Harris Interactive(R) Methodology This study was conducted online within the United States between February 23 and 25, 2004 among a nationwide cross section of 2,183 adults, ages 18 years and over. Figures for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, income and region were weighted where necessary to align with population proportions. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online. Harris Interactive estimates the results have a statistical precision of plus/minus 3.0 percentage points of what they would be if the entire U.S. adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, thereare several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (nonresponse), question wording and question order, interviewerbias, weighting by demographic control data and screening (e.g., for likely voters). It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors. This online sample was not a probability sample. These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. About the Survey The Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive Health-Care Poll is an exclusive poll that is published in the award-winning Health Industry Edition of The Wall Street Journal Online at http://www.wsj.com/health. About The Wall Street Journal Online The Wall Street Journal Online at WSJ.com, published by Dow Jones & Company (NYSE: DJ; http://www.dowjones.com/), offers authoritative analysis, breaking news and commentary from top industry journalists. Launched in 1996, the Online Journal is the largest paid subscription news site on the Web, with more than 689,000 subscribers world-wide. The Online Journal provides in- depth business news and financial information 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with insight and analysis, including breaking business and technology news and analysis from around the world. It draws on the Dow Jones network of more than 1,500 reporters and editors -- the largest staff of business and financial journalists in the world. For the second consecutive year in 2003, the Online Journal received a WebAward for the "Best Newspaper Web Site" and was also cited by Yahoo! Internet Life magazine as the "Best Business News" site (2002 & 2001). About Dow Jones & Company In addition to The Wall Street Journal and its international and online editions, Dow Jones & Company (NYSE: DJ; dowjones.com) also publishes Barron's and the Far Eastern Economic Review, Dow Jones Newswires, Dow Jones Indexes and the Ottaway group of community newspapers. Dow Jones is co-owner with Reuters Group of Factiva, with Hearst of SmartMoney and with NBC of the CNBC television operations in Asia and Europe. Dow Jones also provides news content to CNBC and radio stations in the U.S. About Harris Interactive(R) Harris Interactive (http://www.harrisinteractive.com/) is a worldwide market research and consulting firm best known for The Harris Poll(R), and for pioneering the Internet method to conduct scientifically accurate market research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, U.S.A., Harris Interactive combines proprietary methodologies and technology with expertise in predictive, custom and strategic research. The Company conducts international research through wholly owned subsidiaries-London-based HI Europe (http://www.hieurope.com/) and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan-as well as through the Harris Interactive Global Network of local market- and opinion-research firms, and various U.S. offices. EOE M/F/D/V To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to participate in future online surveys, visit http://www.harrispollonline.com/. Press Contacts: Nicole C. Pyhel The Wall Street Journal Online 609-520-4057 Bonnie Hughes Harris Interactive 585-214-7541 Nancy Wong Harris Interactive 585-214-7316 DATASOURCE: Harris Interactive, Inc. CONTACT: Nicole C. Pyhel of Wall Street Journal Online, +1-609-520-4057, ; or Bonnie Hughes, +1-585-214-7541, , or Nancy Wong, +1-585-214-7316, , both of Harris Interactive, Inc. Web site: http://www.harrisinteractive.com/ http://www.harrispollonline.com/ http://www.wsj.com/health

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