Sticker Shock at the Doctor’s Office Could Motivate Midterm Voters
Steep jumps in health insurance premiums and deductibles are top of mind for many voters heading into midterm elections. KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner explains how rising costs may shape competitive races. She also distills plans from candidates on both sides of the aisle to bring costs down.
The rising cost of healthcare is causing sticker shock for patients at doctors' offices, potentially influencing the outcomes of the upcoming midterm elections, according to KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner. Rovner highlighted that similar cost hikes in the early 2000s sparked discussions leading to the Affordable Care Act.
As the midterms approach, political candidates are addressing these escalating healthcare expenses. Rovner, who hosts the What the Health? podcast on KFF Health News, explained that patients now face increased costs beyond their premiums, including higher deductibles and out-of-pocket payments when they visit the doctor. In recent years, it has become common for healthcare providers to request payment upfront, leaving patients with the shock of credit card demands before receiving care.
KFF Health News, a national newsroom producing in-depth journalism on health issues, is a core program of KFF, an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism.
Written by urgent.news from KFF Health News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
