Millions of Americans skip meals, stretch medication to afford health care
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The Bottom Line
A new study reveals millions of Americans, including high-income earners, skip meals or stretch medication due to healthcare costs.
How This Affects You
You may be among the millions of Americans, even with a six-figure income, making financial sacrifices like skipping meals or stretching medication to afford healthcare.
AI Summary
A new study found that Americans across income levels, including those earning six-figure salaries, are skipping meals and rationing medication to afford medical expenses. The research reveals that even high earners are making significant financial sacrifices to pay for healthcare costs.
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About half of middle-income households said they have delayed a major life event because of medical costs, new Gallup polls found.
HealthWhat Americans sacrifice due to high health costs
<div>Data: West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare; Chart: Axios Visuals</div><p>Tens of millions of Americans have delayed surgeries, vacation plans, career moves and other big life decisions because of the <a href="https://www.axios.com/health/health-care-costs" target="_blank">cost of health care</a>, a new <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/702596/one-third-americans-cut-back-cover-healthcare-expenses.aspx" target="_blank">West Health-Gallup survey</a> found.</p><p><strong>Why it matters:</strong> Affordability concerns are hanging over the midterm election cycle, with just over half of all Americans believing basic medical care is affordable and accessible. </p><hr><ul><li>As groceries, housing and utilities also become more costly, those pressures are forcing difficult tradeoffs in nearly every aspect of life — even for those who have insurance.</li></ul><p><strong>The survey of</strong> nearly 20,000 adults found that medical cost concerns didn't just force people to borro...
Health1 in 3 say they cut back elsewhere to pay for health care: Survey
Roughly one-third of Americans cut back on at least one daily expense to afford health care last year, according to a new West Health/Gallup survey. The poll, released Wednesday, found that about 33 percent of the 19,535 respondents surveyed cut back on an expense to pay for health care. That is the equivalent of more…
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