137 million Americans face hardship paying for medical care

A new report from the American Cancer Society finds that the majority of Americans have faced some kind of medical financial hardship. Looking at data from the 2015-2017 National Health Interview Survey, researchers found that 56% of adults reported having some kind of hardship — including out-of-pocket expenses and psychological distress — because of trouble with medical finances. The majority of those below the age of 65 were more likely to be affected by hardship, as were the uninsured and those with only Medicare as their insurance provider. As health care costs and the prevalence of chronic conditions continue to rise, the risk of medical hardship is also likely to rise, the authors write.