Recent findings from the National Health Interview Survey indicate that an estimated 14.2% of U.S. residents said they or a family member had problems paying medical bills in 2018, down from 19.7% in 2011, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The percentage of individuals in families having problems paying medical bills was higher among females (14.7%), children (16.2%), and non-Hispanic black persons (20.6%) compared with males, adults, and other racial and ethnic groups, respectively. Among persons under age 65, those who were uninsured were more likely than those with Medicaid or private coverage to have problems paying medical bills.
The report can be obtained at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db357-h.pdf.