A recent survey conducted by ADAP Advocacy reveals the profound impact of medical debt on patient care and health in the United States. The report, titled "Patient Medical Debt: Findings from Quantitative Surveying of Patients in the United States," uncovers significant challenges patients face in accessing medical services due to financial constraints. The comprehensive study, which gathered 673 responses, found that 77% of participants delayed or avoided medical care due to inability to pay, excluding prescription drug purchases. An equally alarming 71% reported avoiding prescription drug purchases because of prohibitive out-of-pocket costs.
Medical debt appears to be a widespread issue, with 74% of survey respondents indicating they personally hold medical debt. Hospitals emerged as the primary debt holder, accounting for 39% of medical debt, followed by specialty care physicians at 22%. The financial and health consequences of medical debt are substantial. Approximately 66% of respondents reported their medical debt is currently in collections, and 40% noted that the debt has negatively impacted their credit scores. Most critically, 70% of participants indicated that medical debt directly influenced their health status.
Brandon M. Macsata, CEO of ADAP Advocacy, emphasized the systemic nature of the problem, particularly concerning the 340B Drug Pricing Program. He suggested that hospital systems are not utilizing drug rebate programs as intended to expand affordable healthcare services. The findings underscore the urgent need for comprehensive healthcare financing reforms and strategies to mitigate the barriers preventing patients from accessing necessary medical care. The survey data indicates that medical debt creates a vicious cycle where financial constraints lead to delayed care, which in turn worsens health outcomes and increases future medical costs.
The implications of these findings are far-reaching for healthcare policy and patient advocacy. When three-quarters of survey participants report holding medical debt and similar percentages delay care or avoid prescriptions, the healthcare system faces significant challenges in achieving positive health outcomes. The concentration of debt with hospitals and specialty care providers suggests specific areas where payment reform and financial assistance programs could be targeted. The connection between medical debt and credit scores creates additional barriers to financial stability for affected individuals, potentially impacting housing, employment, and other essential aspects of life.
These survey results highlight how medical debt functions as both a cause and consequence of health disparities. Patients who cannot afford care experience worsening health conditions, which then require more extensive and expensive treatment. The systemic issues identified in the survey, particularly regarding the utilization of programs like the 340B Drug Pricing Program, point to structural problems within healthcare financing that require policy solutions. The data provides quantitative evidence supporting what patient advocates have long argued: that medical costs represent a significant barrier to healthcare access in the United States with measurable negative impacts on population health.
