Having trouble finding a doctor?
You’re not alone.Tens of millions of adults under 65 — both those with insurance and those without — saw their access to health care dramatically worsen over the past decade, according to a study released Monday.
The findings suggest more privately insured Americans are delaying treatment due to rising out-of-pocket costs, while safety net programs for the poor and uninsured are failing to keep up with demand for care, say Urban Institute researchers who wrote the report.
Overall, the study published in the journal Health Affairs found one in five American adults under 65 had an “unmet medical need” because of costs in 2010, compared to one in eight in 2000. They also had a harder time accessing dental care, according to the analysis based on data from annual federal surveys of adults.
“For decades, Americans have been facing costs rising well above wage levels,” said Lynn Quincy, senior policy analyst for Consumers Union, a nonpartisan group. “These are real families. … It’s very concerning.”
SOURCE: Health Care Increasingly Out Of Reach For Millions Of Americans – Kaiser Health News.