New Survey Shows That 1 In 7 Americans Would Forgo Seeking Treatment For Coronavirus Because Of The Cost

By Consumers For Quality Care, on May 1, 2020

According to an alarming new survey by Gallup, 1 in 7 Americans say they would forgo seeking treatment if they became sick with coronavirus due to the potential costs. The survey comes as tens of thousands of Americans have been killed by the virus and more than 1 million have been sickened. The Hill reports on the survey results.

Among the findings of the survey, people of color were most likely to forgo health care due to concerns over cost.

Analyzed by several demographics, researchers found that nonwhite individuals were most likely to forgo health care due to concerns over paying for it, with 14 percent saying they would not seek medical care for a suspected coronavirus infection due to cost concerns compared to 6 percent white respondents.

The findings are particularly troubling for communities of color, who face entrenched racial disparities in the health care system which have extended to the national response to the pandemic.

While insurers and governments have pledged to waive consumer costs related to seeking treatment for coronavirus, reports suggest patients are still receiving surprise bills, even if they have insurance.