18% of Americans skipped medical appointments, prescriptions due to finances, poll finds

Almost 1 in 5 Americans, 18 percent, have skipped a medical appointment or filling prescription drugs in the past six months because of financial strain, a new NPR/PBS Newshour/Marist poll published Sept. 16 found. 

These numbers were higher among those with lower incomes. Among the poll's respondents, 30 percent of individuals making less than $25,000 a year said they had skipped a medical appointment or prescription in the past six months. Of those who made $25,000 to $50,000 a year, 21 percent said they had foregone a medical visit or prescription in the past six months. 

This dropped to 16 percent for those who made over $50,000 a year. 

The poll, conducted from Sept. 29 to Aug. 1, surveyed 1,236 U.S. adults about personal family finances. 

Of the respondents, 37 percent said their family's finances have gotten worse in the past year, while 18 percent said they have gotten better, and 45 percent said their finances have stayed about the same. 

Around 1 in 10 people, 9 percent of the respondents, said they had delayed or skipped paying medical bills or insurance costs in the past six months to save money. 


See the full results of the survey here.

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