40% of Americans have delayed or skipped needed health care in the past year because they couldn’t afford it

40% of Americans have delayed or skipped needed health care in the past year because they couldn’t afford it, per Bloomberg.

Approximately 57% of individuals stated that at least one-tenth of their monthly budget is allocated to healthcare expenses. Among those covered by employer-sponsored health insurance, the primary source of coverage in the U.S., 43% faced challenges in affording healthcare. Even individuals with insurance, particularly those who purchased their coverage independently, including from the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, encountered significant difficulties, with 57% expressing affordability issues.

Sara Collins, the lead author of the study and vice president of Commonwealth, noted that insurance did not sufficiently shield many individuals from financial strain. Uninsured adults continue to report the highest rates of being unable to afford healthcare and accumulating medical debt.

Nearly 40% of adults acknowledged skipping or delaying healthcare in the past year due to financial constraints, and within this group, 57% reported a deterioration in their health as a consequence. Moreover, around 3 in 10 adults, irrespective of their coverage status, revealed that healthcare costs made it more challenging to cover basic needs such as food and utilities.