I suddenly don’t feel so sorry for myself about cutting back on dining out. CBS News is reporting that our souring economy is causing millions of Americans to think twice about even the most basic healthcare:

"Is it worth the $300 to go into the doctor's office, to tell me I have strep, and then get a prescription filled that my health insurance doesn't cover for another $50?" [Gabrielle] Revere asks.

The effects of the economic crisis are only just beginning to hit Main Street. But, already, a new survey shows that over 80 million Americans – even those with health insurance – are being forced to cut back on healthcare.

According to the CBS News report, “thirty-six percent of Americans are delaying care - a big jump from six months ago. About 30 per cent skip a test or treatment; 27 percent don't fill a prescription.”

The most obvious effect of this is on the health of the people who avoid care and let their condition worsen. But, the ripple effect it will have on the role of caregivers to provide more acute care could be especially powerful.

Even when our economy is strong overall, America's ERs are overcrowded and short staffed.  All the more reason during this economic freefall for our next administration and our next Congress to take the preventive approach and agree to make fixing our nation's healthcare system their first priority.

Check out video from the report here: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4537751n.

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