The survey, conducted by ORC International in August, involved 693 U.S. adults with at least $35,000 in annual household income.
Seven findings:
1. Twenty-seven percent of respondents with children said they delayed care in the last two years because they couldn’t afford it.
2. Families struggling to pay medical expenses are more likely to see their accounts sent to collection. Twenty-one percent of respondents with families said they did not pay their medical bill in the last two years and their accounts were sent to collection. That compares to 9 percent of individuals in similar situations.
3. More than half of respondents said they were concerned about their ability to cover medical expenses of less than $1,000. Thirty-five percent said they were concerned about their ability to cover a medical bill of less than $500.
4. Forty-six percent of respondents said they would be concerned about their ability to cover an unexpected medical expense of $1,000 or more.
5. Fifty-five percent of respondents said they want to talk about healthcare costs and financing options before care. However, only 21 percent said their healthcare providers have discussed patient financing options with them in the last two years.
6. Fifty-four percent of respondents said they would use a no-interest financing option for a medical bill of $1,000 or less, and 57 percent said availability of a no-interest finance option is important or very important in their choice of provider.
7. Thirteen percent of respondents borrowed money from a family member to cover medical expenses in the last two years.
Access the full survey results here.
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