Study Finds Four in Ten Adults Have Medical Debt

By Consumers for Quality Care, on July 6, 2022

According to findings from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) and reported by Revcycle Intelligence, medical debt affects nearly 41 percent of Americans.

KKF reports that 24 percent of adults have past-due medical bills or bills they cannot pay, and 21 percent have medical debt they are paying off over time directly to a provider. Medical debt was found to be more common among certain groups including those with lower income and education levels, women, and Black and Hispanic adults. Over 48 percent of women reported medical debt compared to 34 percent of men, and over 50 percent of Black individuals and Hispanic adults reported medical debt compared to 37 percent of White adults.

The reporting from this survey is similar to the results found in CQC’s Summer 2022 Research, which found that many Americans have incurred expensive bills and medical debt due to higher deductibles, premiums, and other out-of-pocket costs.

It’s evident that medical debt can lead to significant consequences for individuals and families. CQC calls on lawmakers and providers to find solutions to make quality health care more affordable and help patients avoid crushing medical debt.