According to the Deloitte 2008 Survey of Health Care Consumers, the Baby Boomer generation is the most likely to use alternative medicines and therapies and make medical decisions independent of their doctors; most willing to raise taxes to cover the uninsured. Additional characteristics include:

Boomers and Alternatives

• Most likely of survey age groups to use alternative medicines - 22.4 percent
• Highest percentage that consulted an alternative practitioner - 13 percent
• Most willing to substitute an alternative therapy - 35.5 percent
• Highest percentage to have substituted alternative therapies - 9.8 percent
• Most likely to buy medicines online or through mail order – 22.7 percent

Boomers and Health Maintenance

• Most likely to make medical decisions independent of a doctor (52.5, on 1-100 scale)
• Most likely to have a personal savings, flex spending or reimbursement account – 15.8 percent, nearly 5 percent above the average
• 1 in 4 maintain a personal health record
• Nearly 22 percent switched medical treatments in the past two years
• Two-thirds take a prescription drug
• Highest interest in health plan benefits and coverage improvements - 47.2 percent

Boomers and Public Policy

• Nearly half say health care is one of top three issues that will affect their presidential election vote
• Most likely generational category to favor tax increase to coverage the uninsured - 30 percent

Related Content:
Survey: 2008 Survey of Health Care Consumers
Fact Sheet Library: Health Care Consumerism
Overview: Center for Health Solutions