Health Care Costs an Obstacle for Middle-Income Families
About half of U.S. adults living in middle-income families say they had a "somewhat serious" or "very serious" problem paying their medical bills over the past two years, according to a survey by the Commonwealth Fund, AP/Long Island Newsday reports. Researchers questioned 1,023 adults by phone in June.
Trouble paying medical bills was reported by 50% of adults in families with annual incomes of less than $35,000; 48% of adults in families with annual incomes between $35,000 and $49,999; 33% of adults in families with annual incomes of between $50,000 and $74,999; and 21% of adults in families with annual incomes of $75,000 or more.
Difficulty affording health insurance was reported by 48% of adults in families with annual incomes of less than $35,000; 50% of adults in families with annual incomes of $35,000 to $49,999; 35% of adults in families with annual incomes of $50,000 to $74,999; and 23% of adults in families with annual incomes of $75,000 or more.
The survey also finds:
- 48% of all survey respondents said they worry that they would not be able to pay their medical bills in the event of a serious illness;
- 42% said they had experienced poorly coordinated, inefficient or unsafe care at some point during the past two years; and
- Three-quarters of those surveyed said the U.S. health care system needs to be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt (Agovino, AP/Long Island Newsday, 8/17).