Rising health care costs affects more than half of Americans in countless ways

[Megan Cerullo, 10-30-23, CBS healthcare reporter, CBS, “Working-age Americans are struggling to pay for health care, even those with insurance, report finds,” , accessed: 07-09-24, ES]

Just over half of working-age Americans say they sometimes can't afford health care, according to The Commonwealth Fund. About 4 in 10 workers with employer-sponsored insurance or who are on Medicaid say they have difficulty paying, while that rises to about 6 in 10 for people who buy coverage through the Affordable Care Act's marketplaces, the study found.

By comparison, three-quarters of people without insurance who report problems affording care, according to the advocacy group, which promotes fairness in health care.

Almost two in five, or 38%, of insured Americans reported delaying or skipping necessary treatment or medication because of high out-of-pocket costs for health care. Rising medical costs are also straining household budgets, with roughly 30% of working-age adults with health insurance saying these expenses make it difficult to afford essentials like food, utilities, car payments and loans.