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1: Issue Brief (Commonw Fund). 2005 Aug;(837):1-12.Links

Seeing red: Americans driven into debt by medical bills. Results from a National Survey.

Doty MM, Edwards JN, Holmgren AL.

The Commonwealth Fund, USA. mmd@cmwf.org

New analysis of the 2003 Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey reveals that an estimated 77 million Americans age 19 and older--nearly two of five (37%) adults--have difficulty paying medical bills, have accrued medical debt, or both. Working-age adults incur significantly higher rates of medical bill and debt problems than adults 65 and older, with rates highest among the uninsured. Even working-age adults who are continually insured have problems paying their medical bills and have medical debt. Unpaid medical bills and medical debt can limit access to health care: two-thirds of people with a medical bill or debt problem went without needed care because of cost--nearly three times the rate of those without these financial problems.

PMID: 16092189 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]