How does this lead to happiness?  Health costs and insurance is making us unhealthy and unhappy: 

Americans skipping care due to rising health costs

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Ken Alltucker

USA TODAY  October 27, 2023

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Half of working-age Americans struggle to pay for health care, and 1 in 3 Americans owe money to a hospital, doctor or other health care provider, a new survey shows.

The survey by The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that focuses on equitable access to health care, also reports that nearly 2 in 5 people skipped or delayed medical care or didn’t fill a prescription in the past year because they couldn’t afford it. The survey revealed that even people who get health insurance often can’t afford health care costs.

The financial strain of health care has made Americans sicker and often put them in debt, said Sara Collins, a senior scholar and vice president at the New York-based foundation.

Nearly 3 in 4 people without health insurance struggled to pay for health care, but even people with coverage found it difficult to pay for health care.

Nearly 6 in 10 people who bought their own health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, brokers or other health insurance sellers said it was 'very or somewhat difficult' to afford health care costs.

According to the telephone and online survey of a random sample of more than 7,800 adults April 18 through July 31:

38% of people surveyed delayed or skipped needed health care or filling a prescription drug because they could not afford it.

More than half of adults who skipped care said a health problem worsened as a result.

Also, one-third of adult Americans reported they owed money to a doctor, dentist, hospital, home health care provider, nursing home or other provider. Those bills stemmed from routine care for chronic health conditions nearly as often as they did from emergencies or recently diagnosed health problems.

Among those who owed a medical debt, the survey said, nearly half owed $2,000 or more. Nearly two-thirds of adults who owed money for a medical bill paid their health care provider directly, but past-due bills for about one-third of adults were turned over to collection agencies.

In 2021, consumers owed about $88 billion in medical debt, making it the largest category of consumer debt. When consumers owe medical debt, it’s often turned over to collection agencies and appears on consumer credit reports.

The Biden administration has proposed federal rules barring unpaid medical debt from appearing on consumers’ credit reports.

An overwhelming number of survey respondents said medical debt made people anxious or worried. But consumers also had to make other sacrifices to pay their medical bills:

39% cut back on necessities like food, heat or rent.

37% spent all or part of their savings on medical debt.

25% took another job or worked more hours at an existing job.

Joseph Betancourt, a primary care doctor and president of The Commonwealth Fund, said he sees daily examples of patients struggling to afford health care. Patients are confused and frustrated and 'face legitimate threats to their health and well-being.'

'These affordability challenges are real,' Betancourt said. 'They’re getting worse, and they’re a clear and present danger to people’s health and well-being.'

'These affordability challenges are real. They’re getting worse, and they’re a clear and present danger to people’s health and well-being.'

Joseph Betancourt

Primary care doctor