Americans divided on whether medical treatments are worth the cost

They may not agree about the overall efficacy of medical care in the U.S., but Americans do pretty much concur on one thing: good care is unaffordable.

That’s according to a Pew Research Center survey, which finds that although the great majority of respondents—90 percent—believe science has had a mostly positive effect on the quality of health care, they’re pretty evenly divided in their opinion of the overall value of medical treatments, with 51 percent saying they “often create as many problems as they solve” and 48 percent saying they’re “worth the costs because they allow people to live longer and better quality lives.”

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As might be expected, the more wealth respondents had, the more likely they were to be in the second camp—even though 83 percent overall said that the cost of treatments “makes quality care unaffordable.” Party affiliation didn’t affect that opinion all that much, with 81 percent of Republicans and 85 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents all agreeing on the cost being a problem.

However, while Democrats and Republicans were fairly evenly divided over whether medical treatments were worth the cost because they extend life and improve its quality (50 percent and 47 percent, respectively), that’s not the case when it comes to the financial divide; 62 percent of those with family incomes of at least $100,000 per year say medical treatments are worth the cost. But among those with annual family incomes of less than $30,000, 57 percent say medical treatments “create as many problems as they solve.”

Americans are divided in their opinions of medical care in other areas based on income, as well. For instance, while 55 percent of those with incomes below $30,000 say it is a big problem that new treatments are made available before we fully understand how they affect people’s health, only 27 percent of those with incomes of at least $100,000 say the same.

There were other differences, not just based on income but other demographics. While 57 percent of African-Americans and 60 percent of Hispanics say the availability of new treatments is a big problem, only 38 percent of whites feel the same. And women are more concerned that it’s a big problem, at 50 percent, that new treatments are made available before we fully understand how they affect people’s health, but only 38 percent of men express the same concern.

Other concerns expressed include the belief that another big problem is that “people rely too much on prescription medicines that may not be necessary” (68 percent). and that the side effects of prescription medicines create as many problems as they solve (59 percent).

Nearly half—49 percent—of Americans say the slow pace in evaluating the safety and effectiveness of medical treatments is a big problem, while 46 percent say that health care providers are too quick to order potentially unnecessary tests and procedures; 44 percent say it’s a problem that new treatments are made available before their effects are fully understood, and 42 percent say new treatments are so complex that patients can’t make informed decisions.