Medical bills take a big toll on Americans, even if they are insured, according to a recent poll conducted by NPR, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Boston-based Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Twenty-six percent of those surveyed said healthcare costs have caused a serious financial problem.
Of the respondents who said healthcare costs have caused them serious problems:
- Forty-four percent set up a payment plan with a hospital or healthcare professional
- Forty-two percent spent all or most of their personal savings
- Thirty-nine percent were contacted by bill collectors
- Twenty-seven percent weren't able to pay for basic necessities like food, heat or housing
- Twenty-three percent have taken on credit card debt that may be difficult to pay off
- Nineteen percent have taken out a loan that may be hard to pay back
- Seven percent declared bankruptcy
Approximately 1,000 people were surveyed in Florida, Kansas, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Texas and Wisconsin for the poll. The poll was conducted from Sept. 8, 2015, to Nov. 9, 2015.
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