Survey finds Covid remains major concern for seniors

The continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is resonating with American seniors through a new nationwide survey released by the online private health insurance marketplace eHealth Inc.

In a survey of more than 2,500 Medicare beneficiaries, 62% of respondents supported the reimposing of social distancing and masking rules if the Covid case count begins to rise again. The survey also found that 31% of respondents stating their confidence in the federal government”™s handling of the pandemic has decreased in the past year, with 21% stating their confidence increased and 48% saying it remained unchanged. The political ramifications of Covid will be felt in November, as 62% of respondents said Covid was still a top-three issue in the upcoming election.

But while 35% of respondents said their life is “mostly back to normal” since the pandemic”™s severity waned and 44% say their life is “somewhat back to normal,” many seniors are not eager to rush back to old habits: 73% of respondents said they were less likely to go on a cruise, 56% were less likely to attend a concert and 52% were less likely to travel by plane.

“While younger people may be moving on, Covid remains a serious concern for Medicare beneficiaries,” said eHealth CEO Fran Soistman. “As Covid case and hospitalization rates fluctuate, our survey offers an important benchmark on the sentiments of a large and vulnerable segment of the population.”