Poll: Massachusetts Residents Report Health Care Access and Affordability Challenges

A recent statewide poll in Massachusetts found that one-third of respondents said they had delayed or skipped care due to cost in the past year, and 25% said cost caused them to delay or skip care for a dependent, reports the CommonWealth Beacon. Significant access challenges were also reported: about 20 % waited more than two months for a primary-care appointment and 16% waited that long for a specialist. Despite Massachusetts ranking highly for quality of care, the survey underscores that affordability remains a persistent barrier.