1 in 3 Pennsylvania residents struggle to pay medical bills, survey finds

Oct. 25--Half of adults in Pennsylvania struggle with health care affordability and one in three have difficulty paying medical bills, according to a new report by Pennsylvania Health Access Network and Altarum.

The report's findings, released Thursday, reinforce national findings that health care is a top financial concern among Americans, as consumers spend more for insurance, while the cost of care continues to rise.

Related stories

------

* ACA premium rates down in Pa., but some people may owe more

* Employer-sponsored health insurance is getting more expensive

The data reported by PHAN and Altarum, a health care consulting firm, are based on a survey of about 1,000 adults in August and September.

Here are some of their findings:

* 74 percent of survey respondents who were uninsured said the main reason they did not buy insurance was because it is too expensive.

* 29 percent said they delayed having a procedure because of cost and 25 percent said they skipped an appointment or procedure entirely.

* 32 percent said they had difficulty with medical bills. Being contacted by a collection agency and using up all or most of their savings were the most common hardships reported by people who said they were strained by medical bills.

* 10 percent said they were unable to pay for basic necessities, like food, housing and heat because of medical debts.

* 83 percent said they were "worried" or "very worried" about being able to afford some aspect of health care. The most common concerns were the cost of nursing homes, home care and other services for seniors, the cost of a serious illness, and prescription drugs.

* 68 percent said they were "worried" or "very worried" about being able to afford health insurance in the future. Survey respondents with private insurance or Medicaid were most concerned about this.

* 50 percent of respondents covered by Medicaid said they were worried about losing their coverage.

___

(c)2018 The Philadelphia Inquirer

Visit The Philadelphia Inquirer at www.philly.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.