Data Note: Americans’ Challenges with Health Care Costs
Table A.1: Worries about Affording Basic Needs by Socioeconomic Status | ||||||||||||
Total | Gender | Income | Race/Ethnicity | |||||||||
Men | Women | <$40K | $40K–$89.9K | $90K+ | White | Black | Hisp. | |||||
Percent who say they are “very worried” or “somewhat worried” about being able to afford … for them and their family: (August 2018) | ||||||||||||
…unexpected medical bills | 67% | 63% | 71% | 75% | 68% | 55% | 63% | 70% | 83% | |||
…their health insurance deductible* | 53 | 49 | 57 | 61 | 52 | 42 | 52 | 47 | 67 | |||
…gasoline or other transportation costs | 46 | 46 | 46 | 64 | 43 | 25 | 39 | 52 | 65 | |||
…their prescription drug costs | 44 | 39 | 49 | 55 | 41 | 32 | 41 | 37 | 64 | |||
…their monthly utilities like electricity or heat | 43 | 39 | 46 | 62 | 38 | 20 | 35 | 50 | 66 | |||
…their monthly health insurance premium* | 42 | 42 | 42 | 52 | 40 | 30 | 39 | 46 | 54 | |||
…their rent or mortgage | 41 | 37 | 44 | 56 | 41 | 22 | 32 | 50 | 68 | |||
…food | 36 | 34 | 38 | 54 | 35 | 13 | 29 | 39 | 62 | |||
NOTE: *Among insured adults. |
Table A.2: Worries about Affording Basic Needs by Health Status and Health Insurance Status | ||||||
Total | Health Insurance and Age | Health Status | ||||
Insured, 18-64 |
Uninsured, 18-64 |
65+ | Excellent/Very good/Good | Fair/Poor | ||
Percent who say they are “very worried” or “somewhat worried” about being able to afford … for them and their family: (August 2018) | ||||||
…unexpected medical bills | 67% | 69% | 76% | 55% | 65% | 76% |
…their health insurance deductible* | 53 | 55 | – | 47 | 50 | 64 |
…gasoline or other transportation costs | 46 | 45 | 57 | 42 | 40 | 64 |
…their prescription drug costs | 44 | 41 | 56 | 46 | 37 | 69 |
…their monthly utilities like electricity or heat | 43 | 39 | 60 | 40 | 37 | 60 |
…their monthly health insurance premium* | 42 | 42 | – | 41 | 38 | 56 |
…their rent or mortgage | 41 | 42 | 61 | 24 | 37 | 56 |
…food | 36 | 33 | 57 | 33 | 30 | 56 |
NOTE: *Among insured adults. |
Table A.3: Problems Paying Health Care Costs Vary by Socioeconomic Status | |||||||||
Total | Gender | Income | Race/Ethnicity | ||||||
Men | Women | <$40K | $40K–$89.9K | $90K+ | White | Black | Hisp. | ||
AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE INSURANCE: Percent who say they have difficulty affording to pay… (June 2019) | |||||||||
…the deductible they pay before insurance kicks in | 34% | 29% | 38% | 49% | 29% | 24% | 32% | – | 38% |
…the cost of health insurance each month | 28 | 25 | 31 | 40 | 22 | 22 | 28 | – | 22 |
…co-pays for doctor visits and prescription drugs | 24 | 18 | 28 | 40 | 18 | 12 | 21 | – | 29 |
Percent who say they or a household member had problems paying medical bills in the past year: (March 2019) | |||||||||
26% | 22% | 29% | 38% | 26% | 10% | 23% | 34% | 31% | |
AMONG THOSE WHO CURRENTLY TAKE ANY PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE: Percent who say it is difficult for them to afford to pay the cost of their prescription medicine: (February 2019) | |||||||||
24% | 22% | 25% | 35% | 21% | 11% | 21% | – | – |
Table A.4: Problems Paying Health Care Costs Vary by Health Status and Health Insurance Status | ||||||||
Total | Health Insurance and Age | Health Status | Serious Medical Condition in Household | |||||
Insured, 18-64 | Uninsured, 18-64 | 65+ | Excellent/Very good/Good | Fair/Poor | Yes | No | ||
AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE INSURANCE: Percent who say they have difficulty affording to pay… (June 2019) | ||||||||
…the deductible they pay before insurance kicks in | 34% | 35% | – | 28% | 31% | 51% | – | – |
…the cost of health insurance each month | 28 | 28 | – | 29 | 26 | 40 | – | – |
…co-pays for doctor visits and prescription drugs | 24 | 23 | – | 25 | 20 | 47 | – | – |
Percent who say they or a household member had problems paying medical bills in the past year: (March 2019) | ||||||||
26% | 25% | 45% | 15% | 24% | 35% | 39% | 22% | |
AMONG THOSE WHO CURRENTLY TAKE ANY PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE: Percent who say it is difficult for them to afford to pay the cost of their prescription medicine: (February 2019) | ||||||||
24% | 22% | – | 23% | 14% | 49% | – | – |
Table A.5: Shares Reporting Receiving Treatment for a Serious Medical Condition | |||
Percent of 18-64-year-olds who report currently receiving medical treatment for any of the following medical conditions: (March 2019) |
Individual receiving treatment | Family member in household receiving treatment | Individual or Family member in household receiving treatment |
A serious mental health illness like depression, bipolar disease, or schizophrenia | 15 | 15 | 21 |
Diabetes | 11 | 13 | 18 |
Heart disease | 5 | 6 | 9 |
Stroke | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Cancer | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Any of the above | 26% | 28% | 38% |
Table A.6: Postponing or Delaying Care Because of Costs by Socioeconomic Status | |||||||||||||
Total | Gender | Income | Race/Ethnicity | ||||||||||
Men | Women | <$40K | $40K–$89.9K | $90K+ | White | Black | Hisp. | ||||||
Percent who say that in the past year they or a family member… (March 2019) | |||||||||||||
…skipped dental care or checkups | 30% | 26% | 34% | 45% | 31% | 14% | 28% | 31% | 37% | ||||
…relied on home remedies or OTC drugs instead of going to see a doctor | 31 | 29 | 33 | 38 | 36 | 19 | 30 | 26 | 40 | ||||
…put off or postponed getting health care they needed | 26 | 24 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 18 | 25 | 23 | 33 | ||||
…skipped a recommended medical test or treatment | 21 | 17 | 24 | 25 | 23 | 13 | 19 | 21 | 24 | ||||
…had problems getting mental health care | 12 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 9 | ||||
Percent who did any of the above | 51 | 47 | 56 | 62 | 56 | 36 | 50 | 54 | 54 | ||||
Percent who say the condition got worse as a result | 13 | 11 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 5 | 13 | 15 | 10 |
Table A.7: Postponing or Delaying Care by Health Status and Health Insurance Status | |||||||||
Total | Health Insurance and Age | Health Status | Serious Medical Condition in Household | ||||||
Insured, 18–64 | Uninsured, 18–64 | 65+ | Excellent/ Very good/ Good |
Fair/Poor | Yes | No | |||
Percent who say that in the past year they or a family member… (March 2019) | |||||||||
…skipped dental care or checkups | 30% | 29% | 47% | 22% | 29% | 36% | 41% | 27% | |
…relied on home remedies or OTC drugs instead of going to see a doctor | 31 | 31 | 57 | 15 | 31 | 33 | 40 | 33 | |
…put off or postponed getting health care they needed | 26 | 26 | 50 | 12 | 26 | 29 | 35 | 27 | |
…skipped a recommended medical test or treatment | 21 | 20 | 40 | 12 | 19 | 27 | 27 | 20 | |
…had problems getting mental health care | 12 | 13 | 19 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 11 | |
Percent who did any of the above | 51 | 52 | 76 | 35 | 50 | 61 | 64 | 50 | |
Percent who say the condition got worse as a result | 13 | 13 | 25 | 6 | 12 | 19 | 23 | 9 |
Table A.8: Public’s Struggles with Health Care Over Time | ||||
Percent who say they… | …had problems paying medical bills in the past year | …put off any type of care due to cost in the past year* | …are worried about affording needed care | …are very worried about affording needed care |
March 2010 | 30% | 57% | 58% | 29% |
March 2011 | 23 | 52 | 52 | 20 |
May 2012 | 26 | 58 | 48 | 25 |
September 2013 | – | 57 | 60 | 33 |
December 2013 | 28 | – | – | – |
November 2015 | 23 | – | – | – |
January 2016 | – | 50 | 56 | 28 |
December 2016 | – | 51 | 50 | 25 |
February 2017 | 29 | – | – | – |
June 2017 | 28 | – | – | – |
April 2018 | 27 | – | – | – |
June 2018 | 25 | – | – | – |
March 2019 | 26 | 51 | – | – |
NOTE: *Includes those who say yes to doing at least one of the following due to costs: skipping dental care or checkups, relying on home remedies or over-the-counter drugs instead of going to see a doctor, putting off or postponing getting health care they needed, skipping a recommended medical test or treatment, not filling a prescription for a medicine, cutting pills in half or skipping doses, or having problems getting mental health care. |