Almost half of Americans say that healthcare bills have put them in debt, and more than a third of them are struggling to pay for healthcare costs, according to new research conducted by One Poll on behalf of digital-first healthcare company Babylon.
One Poll surveyed 5,000 U.S. adults and found that 46 percent of people point to medical bills as the source of debt, according to an Oct. 25 news release.
More than 34 percent of people are struggling to pay for healthcare costs. The concerns are most profound among people aged 25 to 34, with 56 percent of that demographic saying they will struggle or are currently struggling to pay for healthcare maintenance costs. Forty-eight percent cite emergency needs as a point of concern, and 55 percent report they struggle to afford private health insurance, according to the release.
"Patients are struggling to pay their maintenance costs and a significant number of people are unable to afford any out-of-pocket medical expenses in the case of emergency healthcare requirements. The U.S. healthcare system needs to change to make high-quality healthcare affordable for people of all income levels. Healthcare is not a luxury, it’s a basic requirement," said Ali Parsa, Babylon's founder, and CEO.
One in 10 Americans said they would not be able to afford any out-of-pocket expense if they had a health emergency. Another 11 percent said they could afford up to $50 in an emergency situation and an additional 11 percent said they could cover up to $100.