A growing share of Americans say the price of staying healthy is forcing them to change how they live. A new West Health-Gallup survey estimates that about 1 in 3 adults—roughly 82 million people—have cut back or taken on debt to cover medical bills, from skipping meals to driving less. About 15% said they borrowed money in the past year to pay for care, with 15% also indicating they'd stretched out prescriptions; 11%, meanwhile, went without food. The compromises are even starker for people without insurance.
The financial strain isn't limited to low-income households. Respondents across income brackets, including those earning more than $240,000 annually, reported delaying big life moves due to health costs. Close to 30% postponed a vacation, 26% put off surgery or other medical care, 18% delayed switching jobs, 14% held off on buying a home, and smaller shares pushed back having a child or retiring.
The findings track with earlier polling showing rising fears about affording medical treatment, and they come as premiums climb for both ObamaCare and employer coverage, with average family plans nearing $27,000 a year. "No one is safe from making these trade-offs," Gallup researcher Ellyn Maese tells the New York Times. She adds, per the Washington Post: "Seeing that health care is now impacting those decisions and the ability to kind of attain that American dream ... is really striking."
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