68% of insured adults have received surprise medical bills—and many can’t afford to pay them
A significant number of U.S. adults with private health insurance—68%, to be precise—have received at least one surprise medical bill, according to a new survey from the American Heart Association (AHA). Thirty-three percent of those patients were unable to immediately pay the unexpected bill.
The Harris Poll conducted the research on behalf of the AHA, reaching out to more than 2,000 patients in October 2020. Nearly half of those patients had private insurance.
In addition, 49% of respondents said that they have avoided seeking care due to the fear of potentially receiving a surprise medical bill. Another 44% would be unable to immediately take care of an expected bill for $1,000.
“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,” Mitchell S. V. Elkind, MD, MS, AHA president a professor of neurology and epidemiology, said in a prepared statement.
The survey also revealed that 81% of respondents support legislation that would end surprise medical billing—something that has actually been in the works for quite some time. The AHA is pointing to these findings as it pushes for the passage of such legislation.
“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, AHA CEO, said in the same statement. “Americans want Congress to put an end to surprise medical bills, and they need lawmakers to act now.”
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.