Poll Shows Major Worry About HealthCare Bills

A new poll shows that 3 in 10 likely voters are very or moderately worried about being able to afford their health insurance (31%) and out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs (29%) over the next year.

Nearly 8 in 10 believe that reducing healthcare costs should be a high priority for the next president.

The poll conducted by NBC News and the Commonwealth Fund was of a nationally representative sample of 2,300 likely voters interviewed between January 28 and February 16. The respondents were interviewed over the telephone, 686 over a landline and 1,617 via a mobile phone,.

Health care has, of course, been a major issue in the Democratic presidential debates and the primaries and caucuses. This poll showed that Democrats and likely voters leaning that way are the most worried about healthcare costs, along with people with incomes under $50,000, blacks, and Hispanics.

Some other findings: 

• Nearly half of likely voters (46%) with medical bill problems have used their savings to pay their medical bills.

• More than one-quarter (28%) of respondents worry about receiving an unexpected or surprise medical bill over the next year.

• Thirty-eight percent of blacks and 37 percent of Hispanics are very or moderately worried about surprise medical bills, compared to 25% of whites.

• More than one-third (34%) of Democrats are very or moderately worried about surprise medical bills, compared to 24% of Republicans.