The American Public on Health Care-The Missing Perspective - (Page 46)

Coverage for the Uninsured The Cost of Covering the Uninsured: According to estimates by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, the cost of expanding coverage to the uninsured would increase total health care spending by $122.6 billion or 5.1%, which is less than the average 7.6% annual increase in health spending since 200135. But Who Will Pay? But even as most Americans aspire to help their fellow citizens, they know that there will be a significant cost involved in expanding coverage among the uninsured, and most are not willing to pay higher taxes to do so (see Figure DD). Older Americans are significantly less likely to be willing to pay more in taxes to help cover the uninsured than their younger counterparts (see Figure EE). Willingness to pay more in taxes varies by both age and income. Younger people and those with annual incomes above $75,000 are the most willing to pay more (see Figure FF). Among those willing to pay more in taxes to expand coverage, nearly half (48%) would be willing to pay up to $100 a year or more in additional taxes to help cover the uninsured. Americans know that there will be a cost involved in expanding coverage among the uninsured, and most are not willing to pay higher taxes to do so. To meet this need, nearly half (48%) of those willing to pay more in taxes to expand coverage would be willing to pay up to $100 a year or more in additional taxes to help cover the uninsured (see Figure FF). 35 Kaiser Family Foundation, “Covering the Uninsured in 2008,” p.11. Accessed at: http://www.kff.org/ uninsured/upload/7810.pdf 46 http://www.kff.org/

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