News

The long-anticipated research from the Physicians Foundation finds that a large number of Americans are not only concerned about their ability to pay for hypothetical medical bills, but anticipate being unable to pay any bills over a seemingly small amount.

The 2019 Survey of America's Patients surveyed over 2,000 Americans between September 3 and 13, 2019. The survey population was a diverse cross-section of age, gender, and geography that reflected U.S. Census data. 

The survey found interesting information on how patients feel about the affordability of health care:

• 73% of Americans are concerned about their ability to pay for medical care
• 50% feel they are one sickness away from serious financial trouble
• 42% of Americans would be unable to afford a a medical bill over $500 without financial issues
• 72% of Americans say waiting for insurance pre-approvals negatively impacts their care.
• 35% of Americans know someone who has abused or is addicted to opioids

The takeaways from the survey are that health care is a financial worry for most Americans, they want private insurance reform, and they trust their physician in their care.

The Physicians Foundation is a non-profit seeking to advance the work of practicing physicians and help them facilitate the delivery of high-quality health care to patients. The Foundation pursues its mission through a variety of activities including grant-making, research, white papers, and policy studies.