Gallup: Costs are keeping more Americans than ever from seeking medical care

A new Gallup poll shows that more and more Americans are not seeking medical care because they can’t afford it. File photo: Fernando Zhiminaicela/Pixabay

Jan. 17 (UPI) — A record number of Americans are postponing treatment in 2022 due to prohibitive costs, with low-income people, young adults and women hit hardest, according to a Gallup poll released Tuesday.

Overall, 38% of those surveyed reported that they or their family members were putting off seeking medical care because of the high bills they would have to bear. This is the highest such response in 22 years. Gallup tracks trend.

The 12-point increase from 2021 was the sharpest increase from last year, Gallup said in a press release. The number of those who delayed treatment due to “very” or “few” serious illnesses rose sharply to 27%. This is compared to 11% who withdrew from treatment due to less serious conditions, with the gap between the two groups being the largest since 2019.

Gallup’s findings come after a recent study found that it’s getting harder and harder for Americans to afford health care, even if they have health insurance provided by their employer. Researchers at New York University have found that over the past two decades, the number of Americans with workplace health insurance who save on health care has been on the rise.

A study published in Journal of the American Medical Association did not give a definitive answer to the reasons for this trend, but pointed to rising health care costs and attempts by insurers to shift most of the cost of treatment to consumers.

President Joe Biden has been pushing for lower healthcare spending since taking office in 2021. The President touted his efforts to crack down on drug companies and insurers to drive down drug costs and health insurance premiums and put an end to windfall bills.

The Inflation Reduction Act, which aims to lock in lower health insurance premiums for the millions of people covered by the Affordable Care Act, was signed into law by Biden in August after overcoming unanimous opposition from Republican lawmakers.

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