Almost Half in U.S. Fear Surprise Medical Bills

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Dec. 1, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Nearly fifty percent of Americans are afraid unanticipated clinical expenses and also 44% state they could not pay a $1,000 shock costs, a brand-new survey programs.

Those worries aren’t unproven. Among those with personal medical insurance, 68% have actually obtained unanticipated clinical expenses and also 33% could not pay them on schedule, while 23% claimed they have not paid them yet.

Many Americans (81%) desire Congress to pass legislations to finish shock clinical expenses, and also three-quarters (consisting of 82% of Democrats and also 70% of Republicans) claimed they would certainly choose those that sustained such regulation.

“Surprise medical bills are a major driver of financial anxiety and disruption for families nationwide that are already straining under the weight of an ongoing pandemic,” claimed Dr. Mitchell Elkind, head of state of the American Heart Association (AHA).

“For more than a year, Congress has been considering bipartisan legislation to ensure patients aren’t stuck with financially devastating bills after seeking care. It is long past time for lawmakers to stop surprise medical bills,” claimed Elkind, that is likewise a teacher of neurology and also public health at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and also Surgeons, in New York City.

A shock clinical costs can turn up after obtaining treatment that isn’t covered by insurance policy. The coronavirus pandemic has actually strengthened issues that these expenses might clean individuals out.

“A patient facing a medical emergency, such as cardiac arrest or stroke, should have to focus only on their immediate medical needs — not on whether they’ll be able to afford care not covered by insurance,” Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the AHA, claimed in an organization press release. “Americans want Congress to put an end to surprise medical bills, and they need lawmakers to act now.”

The Harris Poll performed the online study of simply over 2,000 grownups from Oct. 12 to 14, 2020.

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For much more on shock clinical expenses, head to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

RESOURCE: American Heart Association, press release, Nov. 30, 2020