In the U.S., lack of affordability is a pervasive problem. “With a fragmented insurance system, a near majority of Americans receive their health coverage through their employer,” the report said.
“While the ACA’s Medicaid expansions and subsidized private coverage have helped fill the gap, 26 million Americans are still uninsured, leaving them fully exposed to the cost drivers in the system. Cost has also fueled growth of private plan deductibles, leaving about a quarter of the working-age population underinsured.”
In other words, due to extensive cost-sharing requirements, many patients are unable to visit a doctor when medical issues arise, causing them to skip medical tests, treatments, or follow-up visits, and avoid filling prescriptions or skip doses of their medications.
In terms of care availability, American patients are more likely than their peers in most other countries to report they don’t have a regular doctor or place of care and face limited options for getting treatment after regular office hours. Shortages of primary care services add to these problems as well.
First Appeared on
Source link
