Skipping Medical Treatment Due to Healthcare Costs?

It is a thought of the cost of healthcare and people skipping it due to cost. I suspect the number in this report for 2022 – 2024 are lower. Lower only because of President Biden’s healthcare adjustments to the ACA plans making it less costly for families. People were out of work and would have dropped healthcare.

The ACA was adjusted so as to cover people up to 250% for a minimum amount. People under 150% would pay nothing for a ACA Silver plan. It is better explained here: “Facts about the ACA marketplace for 2023,” Angry Bear. It is unknown as to whether the ACA adjusts will be carried beyond 2025.

If you need better explanation, please ask.

How many people skip medical treatment due to healthcare costs? USA Facts

According to the Federal Reserve, twenty-seven percent of American adults (2023) skipped some form of medical treatment because they could not afford it. This is lower than the 32% who avoided care in 2013, when data collection began. The findings that year ties with 2015 and 2017 as the fourth-highest year.

The probability of declining medical care seems to correlate with income: 42% of people with a family income under $25,000 skipped some medical treatment in 2023 as compared to 12% of people with incomes over $100,000.

Over a quarter of American adults skipped medical treatment in 2023 due to cost

How many Americans are uninsured?

In 2023, 26.2 million — 7.9% of Americans — did not have health insurance. Adults 65 and older were most likely to be covered: only 0.8% of them didn’t have health insurance. But among adults ages 19 to 64, 11.0% aren’t insured, along with 5.4% of Americans under 19.

High healthcare costs mean out-of-pocket expenses can drive uninsured adults into debt; in 2023, 23% of adults had an unexpected medical expense, with the median total being between $1,000 and $1,999. That same year, 17% of adults reported incurring debt from their own medical care or a family member’s.

In 2023, 7.9% of people lacked health insurance

What type of medical care do people skip most frequently due to costs?

In 2023, people skipped dental care most frequently, with 19% of American adults forgoing treatment. This was followed by doctor visits (15%), prescription medicine (10%), follow-up care (9%), and mental health or counseling visits (9%).

In 2023, nearly 2 in 10 Americans skipped dental care because of cost

Does having health insurance reduce the probability of skipping medical care?

It does: In 2023, 46% of American adults without health insurance skipped some medical treatment because they couldn’t afford it, compared with 25% of insured adults.

The Department of Health and Human Services also found that uninsured adults are less likely to have a primary care provider, leaving them far less likely to access recommended medications and preventative care.

Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2023