As job losses continue across America, concerns about meeting mortgage and credit card payments are only two of the financial issues weighing heavily on the minds of the average American. Almost half (49 percent) of respondents polled in the newly established "Under the Skin" series from ORC Guideline, an infoGROUP company, said they would be unable to afford healthcare coverage if they became unemployed.

Healthcare appeared to be a top priority for respondents, with 85 percent indicating they had seen a doctor in the last 12 months. But while they may be visiting the doctor, many are not following orders. Cost-cutting is widespread, as more than 71 percent of respondents who had seen a doctor in the last 12 months reported taking one or more measures to reduce their medical expenses. Twenty percent said they had delayed a recommended treatment due to cost, 23 percent reported selecting a lower cost option for a recommended test or treatment, and 16 percent said they decided against treatment altogether due to cost.

The study also found that 13 percent of Americans have no health insurance, and the same percentage have had to borrow to pay for existing healthcare bills. As the future of health insurance continues to be discussed in the Oval Office, 58 percent said that the government should be required to pay health insurance for individuals unable to obtain insurance through an employer.

"As this study shows, many Americans are making tough choices with respect to their healthcare in the face of the current recession," said Regine O'Neill, Vice President at ORC Guideline. "The heightened unemployment rate and job insecurity is changing the reality in terms of access to healthcare for both consumers and the providers that serve them. These factors, combined with the increased focus of the current administration on healthcare costs, are likely to mean significant changes to the way healthcare is delivered and paid for in the future."

To help reduce the cost of their healthcare bills, survey respondents pointed to the following measures they reported taking in the last 12 months:

Switched to generic prescriptions 50 %
Avoided going to the doctor when they should have 25 %
Delayed recommended treatments due to cost 18 %
Decided against recommended treatments due to cost 17 %
Took medication less often than prescribed 17 %
Did not fill prescriptions when needed 16 %
Switched to a plan with higher deductibles/co-pays 13 %
Dropped healthcare coverage entirely 7 %