CDC: Medical bills present hardship to many families

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on the financial stress caused by high medical costs.  

NPR Shots Blog: 1 In 3 Americans Is Having A Hard Time Paying Medical Bills
While politicians and soon, the Supreme Court, are fighting about the fate of the Affordable Care Act, a new government study finds that a growing number of Americans are having difficulty coping with the high cost of health care (Rovner, 3/7).

Modern Healthcare: Medical Bills Strain Many Families: CDC
One out of 10 families had medical bills that they could not pay during the first half of 2011, according to newly released figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ... One out of 5 families struggled to pay medical bills during the same period. And one-quarter of households had one family member who paid off a medical bill over time. Medical bills were more problematic among low-income households (Evans, 3/7).

JAMA: High Health Costs Burdening Many Families
Differing levels of financial burden related to health cost were seen when looking at race or ethnicity. The researchers found about 28% of blacks reported problems paying medical bills in the 12 months just prior to answering the survey questions, as did about 25% of Hispanics, 20% of whites, and 10% of Asians (Mitka, 3/7).

The Hill: Report: Americans Still Struggling With Medical Debt
The report found that low-income people had the hardest time paying the bills: More than 40 percent of percent of poor and near-poor people under the age of 65 were in families with medical debt, versus 31 percent for the nonpoor. The results also varied with age, with younger Americans more likely to live in families that are struggling with the cost of medical care (Pecquet, 3/7).