More delaying healthcare because of costs

“Despite Congressional actions to reduce the out-of-pocket costs for insulin, medical costs continue to plague Americans. Four in ten Americans report difficulty paying for medical care and about half carry medical debt,” Deb Gordon writes over at Forbes. “Now, new research shows that more Americans than ever are delaying care because of costs. In the annual Gallup Health and Healthcare poll, released last week, 38% of Americans reported that they or a family member had delayed medical care in the prior 12 months because of cost. That figure represents a 12 point increase over last year, the highest in the 22 years Gallup has been tracking this figure. Americans were even more likely to report delaying treatment for a serious condition than they were for a nonserious condition. More than one-quarter (27%) of those surveyed said that they or a family member had put off treatment for a very or somewhat serious condition. Just 11% delayed care due to cost for a less serious condition.” Deb Gordon, “More Americans delaying healthcare because of cost, new survey shows,” Forbes.