SALT LAKE CITY — A new report from the Utah Foundation finds that a majority of Utahns are struggling with the cost of health care, even as most remain insured.
According to the report, 69% of Utah residents experienced at least one type of health care cost burden, including expenses tied to insurance premiums, medical services or outstanding bills. Additionally, 86% of Utahns reported concern about affording health care in the future.
The report, titled Primer: Healthcare Costs for Utahns, examines the scope of affordability challenges, identifies key cost drivers and outlines how federal policy changes could impact residents across the state.
One of the central findings highlights the potential impact of federal policy shifts. Researchers say the loss of health insurance marketplace subsidies and new limits on Medicaid funding could lead to higher uninsured rates and increased financial pressure on both families and employers. Those changes may also contribute to higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs in the private insurance market.
“I think this is a well-timed piece,” said Matthew Slonaker, executive director of the Utah Health Policy Project. “We face dramatic federal policy change that will impact consumers in a way that we haven’t seen in a very long time… we’ve already seen slippage… about 40,000 Utahns who have lost coverage just in this last year, [and] we’re worried that there might be further coverage loss.”
Despite widespread insurance coverage, the report notes that many Utahns still struggle to afford care. High deductibles, premiums and other cost-sharing requirements are prompting some residents to delay or skip necessary medical treatment. Uninsured individuals face even greater challenges accessing care.
“There may not be anything earthshaking in this research report,” said Shawn Teigen, president of the Utah Foundation. “That said, it is a wildly digestible report, one that will benefit people at their dinner tables and at policy meetings around the state.”
The report underscores that health care affordability remains a significant and ongoing issue statewide, affecting households regardless of insurance status.