Survey: Most North Carolinians fear medical debt
Nearly two-thirds find it difficult to afford healthcare costs, with about 1 in 5 describing it as 'very difficult'
The following article appeared in the Nov. 4, 2024, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.
Poll finds 3 out of 4 N.C. families worry about unexpected medical bills
As North Carolina prepares to roll out a program aimed at easing the burden of medical debt, a new survey from four universities reveals that many N.C. families are feeling the strain of rising healthcare costs.
The survey of 601 adults from across the state shows that nearly two-thirds (61%) find it difficult to afford healthcare costs, with about 1 in 5 describing it as “very difficult.”
The survey also found:
Nearly one in three respondents (32%) said they have had to put healthcare costs on a credit card because they couldn’t afford to pay the bill outright.
Almost three out of four North Carolinians are worried about being able to afford an unexpected medical bill, with 36% saying they are “very concerned.”
Those financial worries can have real-world impacts, prompting families to skip or delay seeking health care they need because of the cost — a choice that can lead to more serious health issues down the line.
David Lazer, a political science and computer sciences professor at Northeastern University who directed the survey, said the high level of financial insecurity revealed by the survey related to health care costs was “stunning.”
“It highlights that although the economy, by many metrics, is doing very, very well, most people are vulnerable to unexpected bills, and healthcare is probably the biggest single source of unexpected bills,” he said.
He added that the same survey found that the economy, inflation and healthcare are the issues people consider most important in Tuesday’s election. (Note: Ledger partner NC Health News covers statewide and congressional races in its health care voter guide.)
The survey also asked about errors on medical bills.
About 43% of respondents said they have received a medical or dental bill they thought contained an error.
Of those, about 9 out of 10 said they disputed the bill, according to the survey, and more than three-quarters (78%) said they were able to resolve the issue in their favor.
North Carolina’s healthcare costs and rates of medical debt are some of the highest in the nation. A 2024 analysis from Forbes Advisor ranked North Carolina as the state with the most expensive health care, while an Urban Institute analysis shows one in five North Carolina residents has medical debt in collections, among the country’s highest rates.
The state’s new medical debt relief program requires hospitals to forgive medical debt dating back to 2014 for low- and middle-income patients and to beef up their charity care policies — in return for billions of dollars in federal money.
The poll was conducted Aug. 30-Oct. 8 by the Civic Health and Institutions Project, a joint project of Northeastern University, Harvard University, Rutgers University and University of Rochester. It has a margin of error of +/- 5 percentage points. It was supported in part by the Knight Election Hub, a national effort to support election coverage funded in part by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. —Michelle Crouch
➡️ Read the full N.C. survey results here.
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