By Robin A. Cohen, Ph.D.; Renee M. Gindi, Ph.D.; and Whitney K. Kirzinger, M.P.H.
CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, March 2012

Previous work has shown that in 2010, more than one in five Americans were in families reporting problems paying medical bills. In 2011, three new questions addressing financial burden of medical care were added to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Family component. These questions addressed problems paying medical bills, paying medical bills over time, and having medical bills that cannot be paid at all.

In the first 6 months of 2011, one in three persons was in a family experiencing financial burden of medical care. One in 5 persons was in a family having problems paying medical bills, 1 in 4 persons was in a family paying medical bills over time, and 1 in 10 persons was in a family that had medical bills they were unable to pay at all.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/financial_burden_of_medical_care_032012.pdf

Comment: 

By Don McCanne, MD

This new report adds to the profusion of policy studies confirming that Americans continue to experience financial burdens in paying their medical bills. Unfortunately, this problem will not go away after the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented.

Well over 20 million people will remain uninsured, and perhaps a third or more of our population will be under-insured, due to the low actuarial value plans to be offered in the exchanges, and especially due to the increasing prevalence of high-deductibles in employer-sponsored plans. In fact, under-insurance likely will soon be the norm.

Contrast that with John Conyers’ HR 676, the “Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act,” which states, “The health care benefits under this Act cover all medically necessary services… No deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing shall be imposed with respect to covered benefits.”

For those who say we can’t afford this, many other nations provide all of their people comprehensive care with no out-of-pocket expenses, at an average cost of only half of what we are spending on health care.

We can’t afford not to do it.

Financial Burden of Medical Care: Early Release of Estimates From the National Health Interview Survey, January–June 2011

By Robin A. Cohen, Ph.D.; Renee M. Gindi, Ph.D.; and Whitney K. Kirzinger, M.P.H.
CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, March 2012
Previous work has shown that in 2010, more than one in five Americans were in families reporting problems paying medical bills. In 2011, three new questions addressing financial burden of medical care were added to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Family component. These questions addressed problems paying medical bills, paying medical bills over time, and having medical bills that cannot be paid at all.
In the first 6 months of 2011, one in three persons was in a family experiencing financial burden of medical care. One in 5 persons was in a family having problems paying medical bills, 1 in 4 persons was in a family paying medical bills over time, and 1 in 10 persons was in a family that had medical bills they were unable to pay at all.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/financial_burden_of_medical_care_032012.pdf

This new report adds to the profusion of policy studies confirming that Americans continue to experience financial burdens in paying their medical bills. Unfortunately, this problem will not go away after the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented.
Well over 20 million people will remain uninsured, and perhaps a third or more of our population will be under-insured, due to the low actuarial value plans to be offered in the exchanges, and especially due to the increasing prevalence of high-deductibles in employer-sponsored plans. In fact, under-insurance likely will soon be the norm.
Contrast that with John Conyers’ HR 676, the “Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act,” which states, “The health care benefits under this Act cover all medically necessary services… No deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing shall be imposed with respect to covered benefits.”
For those who say we can’t afford this, many other nations provide all of their people comprehensive care with no out-of-pocket expenses, at an average cost of only half of what we are spending on health care.
We can’t afford not to do it.