Nearly one in four U.S. adults have health coverage all year but are underinsured, facing high out-of-pocket costs and deductibles that force many to skip needed care or take on medical debt.
Survey: As Health Care Costs Rise, Even Americans with Coverage Are Struggling
November 21, 2024
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the U.S. uninsured rate has dropped to a record low. The majority of working-age Americans now have coverage throughout the year.
Yet persistently high health care costs are making it hard for millions of Americans to afford the care they need — even when they have insurance of any kind. According to the Commonwealth Fund’s latest Biennial Health Insurance Survey:
Nearly one in four working-age adults are underinsured, meaning their health plan’s high out-of-pocket costs make it difficult to afford care. Two-thirds of these individuals are in employer plans.
More than half of uninsured or underinsured adults skip recommended treatments or don’t fill prescriptions because of the cost.
Many people have medical debt: 44 percent of underinsured adults carry debt and face financial hardship.
Read the report to learn more, including what can be done to protect people from the high cost of health care.
