A lot of Colorado families are staying away from doctors during the pandemic for fear of the cost, according to a report released Tuesday morning by the Consumer Colorado Health Initiative and West Health Institute.

The report says 1.7 million Coloradans report that they or their family members put off treatment fin the last year because of the cost while more than a million said they couldn’t afford to fill a prescription, while 675,000 (15%) thought the death of a friend or family member in the last five years was because they couldn’t afford treatment.

The findings include a poll of 4,200 likely voters in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Montana and North Carolina — 600 per state, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points and 95% confidence.

More of the survey is available by clicking here.

The through line is they all have competitive U.S. Senate races. In Colorado, that’s Cory Gardner vs. former Gov. John Hickenlooper.

Hickenlooper was the leader of the state in three of those five years cited in part of the study.

The finding would mean 37% Coloradans put of treatment and 24% couldn’t afford medications.

“Health care has been a consistent concern for Coloradans, and this year, with COVID-19 and a Supreme Court case that could upend health care, it’s little surprise it continues to be a top priority of voters,” Adam Fox, deputy director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, said in a statement.

“It’s clear that Coloradans want to see more from our policymakers, like creating an affordable public option, to lower health care costs and create more affordable coverage. If anything, COVID-19 has made this need much more urgent with Coloradans struggling from the economic turmoil of the pandemic and losing their health coverage because of it.”

The survey found 3 in 4 Coloradans say their healthcare costs are going up, while 53% preferred public officials prioritize lowering health care and prescription costs.

The report suggests 500,000 Colorado families lost insurance because of a lost job in by the pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened people’s concerns over the high cost of healthcare and has put the issue squarely on the ballot,” stated Tim Lash, chief strategy officer for West Health Institute. “For decades politicians have promised to lower costs, but these have largely been broken promises. People are frustrated and worried, and more importantly, they are getting sicker and even dying. I think this sentiment and the real-life consequences they’re experiencing from a high-priced healthcare system will color whom they vote for in the next election.”

Methodology

The findings are from a multi-channel survey of 4,200 likely general election voters. Six hundred interviews were conducted in the following states between August 20 – 30, 2020: Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Montana, and North Carolina. Interviews were conducted by live telephone and via web-based panel. Interviews conducted via web-based panel were matched back to a corresponding voter file. The confidence interval for the survey at 95% confidence interval overall is +/- 1.5%, and +/- 4% within each state.