American deaths follow drug affordability

(Scottie, culture writer at CNN, “13% of Americans say they know someone who died after they couldn’t afford health care, survey says,” CNN, , Shah – WH)

More than 13% of Americans – about 34 million people – say a friend or family member recently passed away in the last five years after being unable to afford treatment for a condition, according to a new poll from Gallup and West Health.

The survey, conducted in September among nearly 1,100 people in 50 states, doesn’t confirm that a lack of care directly caused the deaths. But its findings suggest the skyrocketing price of prescription drugs and necessary care are keeping US adults from addressing health issues.

One-quarter of those who responded to the survey said they couldn’t afford prescribed medication at one point in the last year. Women were almost 10% more likely to report cost as a barrier.

Low-income respondents were even more likely to be uninsured and unable to pay for medication. More than 40% of respondents earning an annual household income under $40,000 said were uninsured. Nearly half of those said they’d need to use a credit card or a loan to pay for their medical bills.

But an overwhelming majority – 85% – of US adults support legislation to lower prescription drug costs at the expense of the pharmaceutical industry, regardless of income level, education and employment status, the poll found.

Health care costs more in the United States

The US remains an outlier when it comes to health care expenditures. American health care spending is two times higher than that of other developed nations. And for many Americans, exorbitant costs aren’t worth potentially life-saving treatment.