Percent who had trouble paying off medical bills in the past year
Measure Overview
The cost of health care in the United States is one of the highest in the world. Rising healthcare costs over the past five decades have made it difficult for some Americans to afford healthcare services. Tracking the prevalence of individuals who struggle to pay their medical bills is a key part in addressing the overarching issue of healthcare affordability in the U.S.
State Health Compare provides annual, state-level rates of individuals who, in the past 12 months struggled to pay off medical bills. These rates derive from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and can be viewed by type of health insurance coverage, and age group.
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This blog provides an overview of SHADAC’s State Health Compare measure “Trouble Paying Medical Bills,” which assesses changes and patterns in health care affordability across the U.S. by tracking the percent of Americans who either have difficulty paying off medical bills or are currently paying off medical bills.
This issue brief examines affordability of health care coverage in California in 2018 based on findings from the California Health Insurance Study (CHIS). The brief highlights key findings for three cost-of-care measures: health insurance deductibles, trouble paying medical bills, and medical bill-related credit card debt.