Americans are adjusting to life in the “new normal” with more than half (56%) saying COVID-19 is never going away, according to a new healthinsurance.com national survey of 1,000 U.S. adults. Healthinsurance.com began conducting monthly consumer pulse surveys since the start of the pandemic in March of 2020 on topics ranging from health insurance, life insurance, telemedicine, and general health to well-being during a pandemic, technology usage, and personal finance.
Key healthinsurance.com April 2021 Survey Findings:
- 56% think COVID-19 is never going away
- 91% say they will miss some aspect of pandemic life
- 62% are afraid to cough or sneeze in public even if it’s not because they have COVID-19
- 76% have already received or plan to soon receive the COVID-19 vaccine
- 45% say they have or know someone who has lost their health insurance during the pandemic
- 75% think the Medicare age should be lowered to age 60
- 49% would think twice about seeking medical care right now because of cost
- 75% will continue to use telemedicine post COVID-19 pandemic
LIFE IN THE “NEW NORMAL”
76% have already received or plan to soon receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Of the remaining 24%, nearly 6 in 10 say they are afraid of the COVID-19 vaccine. Reasons for this fear range from side effects to how fast the vaccine was created. Despite the vaccine, 67% think it’s too soon to drop mask mandates. 59% are in favor of some kind of vaccine passport. Mask or no mask, vaccine or no vaccine, 62% in this “new normal” are afraid to cough or sneeze in public even if it’s not because they have COVID-19.
PANDEMIC LIFE SILVER LININGS
% say they will miss some aspect of pandemic life. When asked what they will miss most, 49% say family time. 41% say they’ll miss wearing only casual clothes. 4 in 10 say they will miss multi-tasking and getting household chores done during work hours. 36% say they will miss working out during work hours.
HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE
While 94% of our respondents say they currently have some kind of health insurance, it’s been a rocky year for most. 45% say they have or know someone who has lost their health insurance during the pandemic. 46% don’t know their health insurance options should they lose their coverage. That’s a slight improvement from the 56% that said they didn’t know their options in April 2020. One thing a majority (75%) agree on, is that the Medicare age eligibility should be lowered from 65 to 60.
INTEGRATING TELEMEDICINE IN THE “NEW NORMAL”
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, only 2 in 10 had tried telemedicine. 47% said in April 2020 that they intended on using telemedicine. In this survey, 50% of respondents say they have used telemedicine during the pandemic. 59% have received information about telemedicine from their insurance company. One thing is sure, virtual doctor visits are here to stay with 75% say they will continue using telemedicine even once the pandemic is over.
PAYING THE BILLS
While there was a slight increase in those able to pay their monthly bills this April from one year ago, saving for an emergency hasn’t improved. 46% say they don’t have enough money saved to cover medical costs should they come down with an illness like COVID-19. In fact, 49% would think twice about seeking medical care right now because of cost.
LIFE INSURANCE LIFELINE
The COVID-19 pandemic unfortunately has had many thinking about what would happen to their family in the event of a death. 58% of our respondents say they currently have life insurance. Of those with life insurance, 18% first purchased a life insurance plan during the COVID-19 pandemic. An additional 20% added more coverage to their life insurance policy because of COVID-19.
For the entire healthinsurance.com survey results and methodology click here.
Edited by Maryssa Gordon, Senior Editor, Price of Business Digital Network
