Doty Michelle M, Edwards Jennifer N, Holmgren Alyssa L
The Commonwealth Fund, USA.
Issue Brief (Commonw Fund). 2005 Aug(837):1-12.
New analysis of the 2003 Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey reveals that an estimated 77 million Americans age 19 and older--nearly two of five (37%) adults--have difficulty paying medical bills, have accrued medical debt, or both. Working-age adults incur significantly higher rates of medical bill and debt problems than adults 65 and older, with rates highest among the uninsured. Even working-age adults who are continually insured have problems paying their medical bills and have medical debt. Unpaid medical bills and medical debt can limit access to health care: two-thirds of people with a medical bill or debt problem went without needed care because of cost--nearly three times the rate of those without these financial problems.
对2003年英联邦基金会两年一度的医疗保险调查的新分析显示，估计有7700万19岁及以上的美国人——几乎五分之二（37%）的成年人——在支付医疗账单方面有困难、累积了医疗债务，或两者皆有。劳动年龄成年人面临医疗账单和债务问题的比例显著高于65岁及以上的成年人，其中未参保者的比例最高。即使是持续参保的劳动年龄成年人在支付医疗账单方面也有困难并负有医疗债务。未支付的医疗账单和医疗债务会限制获得医疗保健的机会：有医疗账单或债务问题的人中，三分之二因费用问题而未接受所需治疗——这一比例几乎是没有这些财务问题者的三倍。
