The data is in line with other findings in the report, that captures a country preoccupied and challenged by personal financial challenges.

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Financial stress weighs on healthcare choices

Though 91% American adults had insurance in 2022, many still couldn’t afford out-of-pocket expenses, and 26% of them skipped care. For uninsured patients, the percentage was higher, at 42%.

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People decided to forgo all types of medical care. Dental services were the most common, with 21% of American adults saying they had decided to pass on care due to costs. Next on the list, 16% of responders skipped doctors’ appointments, and 10% follow-up visits, mental health treatment, and prescription drugs.

This is in line with the overall financial wellbeing of American households, which has declined significantly in the past few years. In 2016, 53% of Americans said they didn’t face financial challenges. In 2022, only 28% said the same.

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According to the report, only 73% of adult Americans said they were doing “at least okay” financially in 2022, down from 78% in 2021. The drop was significant especially among parents living with minor children: Only 69% of such households said they were at least financially okay, down from 75% in 2021.

The question of forgoing care may be most closely linked with the ability to cover unexpected expenses. Only 63% of American adults would be able to cover an unexpected $400 without going into debt, down from 68% in 2021.

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