More than two in five adults in the US have medical debt or trouble paying their medical bills, according to a study released yesterday by the Commonwealth Fund. According to study authors:
- Adults younger than 65 have considerably higher rates of medical debt and bill problems than those older than 65
- Adults younger than 65 who are uninsured have the highest debt levels, but even adults with continuous insurance have trouble paying bills
- About two-thirds of people with medical debt or difficulty paying bills went without necessary care because of the expense
A 12-page topic brief is available on the Commonwealth Fund’s website. The Kaiser Family Foundation summarizes the report in its daily health policy report.