ahead of 02.23.17 Americans are living longer than ever before, with nearly one quarter of baby boomers expected to live past age 90. In fact, the U.S. 65+ age group is growing faster than the country s population a first for this demographic. 1 As medical technology continues to advance, new forms of health care will be available to young and old alike. But what will be most important to Americans as they age? To learn more about health care needs and wants as our population grows older, CVS Health conducted a public opinion poll in January 2017 of 2,300 registered voters, including 700 seniors. Aging in Place, Maintaining Independence Eighty percent of respondents and 88 percent of seniors report that they are responsible for making their own health care decisions: Females are more likely to say that they are primarily responsible for their own health care decisions - roughly 11 percent more women than men reported this to be the case. Further, individuals 65 and older have a strong desire to maintain that independence for as long as possible, with nearly eight in 10 seniors (79 percent) noting that they plan to age in place, either alone or with a spouse or family member. Health Care Providers Must Understand Needs and Values Cost is king when choosing a health care provider, but voters also stressed the importance of expertise, convenience, and cultural competency: 93 percent of seniors and 90 percent of all voters rated expertise in their health conditions as either very or somewhat important. Seniors in particular, at 96 percent, rated convenient location as somewhat or very important. 74 percent of all voters rated cultural competency as somewhat or very important indicating a desire for doctors who not only understand disease, but also life circumstances and personal values. In fact, one in 10 voters say they felt their current provider did not take their culture or heritage into account, and that it negatively impacted the care they received. Cost an Ongoing Concern One of the key determinants of being able to enjoy a longer, healthier life is the ability to afford appropriate treatment and care , and respondents are acutely aware of the costs related to their current and future care: Voters of all ages reported being very or somewhat concerned about their ability to afford health care costs in the next 10-20 years. Top concerns were insurance premiums (73 percent), unexpected illness or injury (71 percent), and prescription costs (64 percent). More than half of those polled are also very or somewhat concerned about being able to afford the cost of caring for an older relative or loved one . Access to reasonably priced non-emergency care is especially valuable for older Americans, who are turning up at retail clinics such as CVS MinuteClinic in increasingly large numbers. 2 By offering a variety of convenient and cost-effective health services such as preventive screenings, vaccinations, lifestyle programs, and medication management support, pharmacies are well-equipped to help Americans age in place without breaking the bank. For more information about our efforts to make health care more affordable, visit our Health Care Innovation & Delivery information center . And to stay informed about the most talked-about topics in health care, register for content alerts and our bi-weekly health care newsletter . 1 https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb11-cn192.html 2 https://www.agingcare.com/articles/minute-clinics-increasingly-popular-among-elderly-158344.htm Related Articles U.S. Health Care Evolution & Outlook: Merlo at Economic Club of New York CVS Health President & CEO Larry Merlo sits down with Fortune senior correspondent Susie Gharib to discuss important health care topics. Tax Reform: Supporting Growth, Creating Jobs and Investing in Better Health Comprehensive tax reform will strengthen our company s ability to help lower health care costs and improve patient outcomes. Project Health: Helping People on Their Path to Better Health Project Health helps ensure that cost isn t a barrier to services in communities with a large number of uninsured or underinsured Americans. Related Press Releases 05.02.17 CVS Health Lauds New Research Showing that Limiting Pharmaceutical Detailing Can Impact Prescribing Behavior 03.15.17 CVS Health PBM Clients Achieved Lowest Prescription Drug Trend in Four Years, Despite Rising Drug Prices 01.12.17 CVS Health Offers Patients Lowest Cash Price in the Market for Generic Epinephrine Auto-injector to Treat Allergic Reactions 06.16.16 CVS Health CEO Larry Merlo Keynotes at 2016 AHIP Institute and Expo 05.04.16 CVS Health Research Institute Study Shows that Home Infusion Care Improves Patient Outcomes and Quality of Life While Reducing Overall Costs 02.23.16 CVS Health Reports Dramatic Drop in Prescription Drug Trend to 5 Percent, Despite Rising Drug Prices big
which incorporates By the Numbers: Health Care Needs of an Aging Population this sort of
EmoticonEmoticon