Approximately one-third of Americans report difficulty paying their medical bills, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation report.
Although being uninsured increases the likelihood of medical debt, most people who struggle with healthcare bills have insurance. Based on 23 case studies and an analysis of 2012 National Health Interview Survey data, here are some more key findings from the report.
1. The poor and the near-poor experience greater difficulties paying medical bills. About four out of 10 nonelderly adults who earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level reported problems paying medical bills.
2. The likelihood of issues with medical bills increases along with family size. Thirty-seven percent of households with four or more members experienced problems with bills in 2012, compared with 25 percent of single-person households.
3. People with employer-sponsored health insurance account for 54 percent of medical debt cases. The uninsured account for 30 percent of medical debt cases.
4. People in higher-deductible health plans are more likely (34 percent) than those in lower-deductible plans (24 percent) to report difficulty paying medical bills.
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