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"A number of negative consequences associated with high out-of-pocket costs have been identified, including family financial distress, bankruptcy, and barriers to receiving necessary medical care." The writer emphasizes the devastating impact of high out-of-pocket medical costs showcasing how these financial burdens can have severe consequences for families. When thinking about this topic you should consider the parents who are forced to choose between paying for their child's treatment or keeping their home. This scary reality highlights the severe emotional strain caused by high medical costs. The writer’s point is not just about numbers or statistics; it’s a call to action for society. The barriers to healthcare that result from these financial struggles don’t just deny medical services; they deny a fundamental human right to life-saving treatment. This evidence reinforces the claim that unaffordable healthcare is not merely an inconvenience. It is a crisis with consequences that many people unfortunately face. The emotional weight and strain of these realities should make anyone reconsider the current state of healthcare systems. Lowering healthcare prices is about making sure that every person, regardless of financial status, can access the care they need without sacrificing their family's future. This tragic cycle must be broken, and it is the responsibility of society to make healthcare accessible to all not just those with the money to afford it.

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High Medical Cost Burdens, Patient Trust, and Perceived Quality of Care

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The financial burden of medical care expenses is increasing for American families. However, the association between high medical cost burdens and patient trust in physicians is not known. To examine the association between high medical cost burdens…

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"Affordability is a widespread problem even as fewer Americans go without health insurance. ...consistently show that people delay or forgo care due to cost, worry about their ability to pay for health care bills, and incur medical debt." This shows that healthcare affordability isn't a topic that should be taken lightly. It is a serious problem in many people's lives.

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Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

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Making health care more affordable | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

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Meredith Rosenthal, the C. Boyden Gray Professor of Health Economics and Policy at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, offered her thoughts on the challenges related to health care affordability and opportunities for action in the short- and long-term.

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This topic is important to me because many people in my family have suffered severe health problems that were necessary to treat. One of the biggest ones is Celiac Disease. It's an autoimmune disease that attacks and damages the small intestine, making it difficult for the body to absorb nutrients. 3 years ago, thanks to the help of blood tests my Dad was diagnosed with Celiac. Not long after my little sisters were diagnosed too. It was tough at first for them but it ended up being very greatly impactful. Who knows what would've happened if they never got the blood test that diagnosed them? It probably would have been fatal. My family was fortunate enough to pay for the healthcare to check for Celiac.

Another serious scenario is when my Grandpa was having heart problems. It was the middle of the night and he had a heart attack. Luckily, my Grandma noticed and he was rushed to the hospital. He ended up making a full recovery thanks to the hospital's care. Again fortunate enough to afford the price. I honestly don't think he would've made it without it.

All of these situations have shifted my view on healthcare. I think some of the prices are too high, especially for necessary care.

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"People without coverage are more likely to suffer declines in overall health — the result of little or no preventive care and delays in care that cause more severe problems or hospitalizations." The sky-high healthcare prices are not just a financial issue—it's a health crisis. This evidence highlights the cruel cycle that people who can't afford care often find themselves in. Without the option for preventive care, they’re left with fewer choices and they face severe risks, including more serious illness and higher medical prices. It’s not right that access to necessary healthcare is often out of reach for those who need it. Everyone, regardless of their financial situation, deserves access to the care they need before their health reaches a breaking point.

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"High-quality health care helps prevent diseases and improve quality of life." The writer states that high-quality healthcare is essential for both disease prevention and improving the overall quality of life. This statement not only highlights the important role that healthcare plays in individual well-being but also draws attention to the wider impact it has on our society. Access to healthcare is a right, not a privilege that everyone deserves and it’s time we all advocate for a system that reflects this truth.

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Health Care - Healthy People 2030 | odphp.health.gov

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Healthy People 2030 includes objectives focused on improving health care quality and making sure all people get the health care services they need. Learn more about health care.

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Money is limiting necessary care from taking place. People should not have to worry about money in life-or-death instances. They should be worried about surviving not the price tag that comes along with it.

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"Meaningful health care coverage is critical to living a productive, secure and healthy life. U.S. residents obtain health coverage from a variety of private and public sources, such as through their employers or direct purchase on the individual market (private sources), as well as through the Medicare, Medicaid, or Veterans Affairs programs (public sources)."

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Today, approximately 90 percent of U.S. residents have health insurance with significant gains in health coverage occuring over the past five years. Health insurance facilitates access to care and is associated with lower death rates, better health outcomes, and improved productivity. Despite recent gains, more than 28 million individuals still lack coverage, putting their physical, mental, and financial health at risk.

Meaningful health care coverage is critical to living a productive, secure and healthy life. U.S. residents obtain health coverage from a variety of private and public sources, such as through their employers or direct purchase on the individual market (private sources), as well as through the Medicare, Medicaid, or Veterans Affairs programs (public sources).

The number of people with health insurance has increased significantly in recent years, with nearly 20 million individuals newly insured. Most of these individuals were able to enroll in coverage offered through the Medicaid program, their employer, or the individual market as a result of coverage programs and insurance market reforms authorized by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Impact of Coverage

Enrollment in coverage supports the health and well-being of individuals and communities. Studies confirm that coverage improves access to care; supports positive health outcomes, including an individual's sense of their own health and well-being; incentivizes appropriate use of health care resources; and reduces financial strain on individuals, families and communities. A list of resources can be found on page 4.

In particular, recent studies that evaluated changes in states that expanded Medicaid compared to those that didn't underscore the value of coverage.

Coverage Improves Access to Care

Adult Medicaid enrollees are five times more likely to have regular sources of care and four times more likely to receive preventative care services than individuals without coverage. Children with Medicaid coverage are four times more likely to have regular sources of care and two to three times more likely to receive preventative care services than uninsured children. In addition, low-income children with parents covered by Medicaid are more likely to receive well-child visits than those with uninsured parents.

A higher proportion of individuals in Medicaid expansion states have a personal doctor than those in nonexpansion states.

Individuals with coverage are more likely to obtain access to prescription drug therapies. Individuals in states that expanded Medicaid have improved access to diabetes and asthma medications, contraceptives, and cardiovascular drugs.

Individuals with coverage are more likely to obtain an early diagnosis and treatment, which may ultimately contribute to improved health outcomes.

Individuals in Medicaid expansion states have higher rates of diabetes diagnoses than those in states that did not expand.

They receive more timely, and therefore less complicated, care for five common surgical conditions.

Medicaid expansion is associated with access to timely cancer diagnoses and treatment.

Coverage improves access to behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment.
Young adults with mental illness who have coverage have a higher rate of monthly outpatient mental health visits than those without coverage.

In Ohio, individuals who become eligible for and enrolled in Medicaid reported better access to mental health services after enrollment, and in Connecticut, one third of Medicaid expansion enrollees use their coverage for care related to mental health and substance use disorder.

Coverage is critical to efforts to fight the opioid epidemic. In West Virginia, Medicaid expansion increased access to opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. By 2016, 75% of Medicaid enrollees with OUD filled prescriptions for medication treatment.

Coverage diminishes cost barriers to accessing care. Fewer individuals in states that expanded Medicaid report cost as a barrier to care than those in states that did not expand Medicaid, and fewer individuals in expansion states report skipping their medications because of cost. In rural areas specifically, individuals were 8% less likely to report cost as a barrier to care in Medicaid Expansion states.

Coverage Is Associated with Improved Health Outcomes

Coverage expansion is associated with decreases in mortality. After Massachusetts implemented coverage expansion through both Medicaid and private coverage, the all-cause mortality rate in the state declined significantly. Medicaid expansion is associated with lower cardiovascular mortality specifically.

More individuals in expansion states quit smoking, consistent with Medicaid coverage for preventive care and evidence-based smoking cessation services.

A study of Oregon's earlier expansion found that individuals who became eligible for Medicaid experienced lower rates of depression than those who did not.

Individuals with coverage report a greater sense of well-being, with an increase in individuals reporting being in excellent health after states expanded Medicaid.

Coverage Supports Appropriate Health Care Utilization

Coverage can help direct individuals to the most appropriate site of care. Young adults who could stay on their parents' health plan experienced decreases in non-emergent emergency department (ED) visits. Expansion populations in some states also experienced a decrease in ED visits and an increase in outpatient visits.

Coverage facilitates use of preventive care and management of chronic conditions. Individuals in expansion states saw significant increases in screening for diabetes, glucose testing among patients with diabetes, and regular care for chronic conditions.

Coverage Improves Individual, Family and Community Well-being

Hospitals, particularly rural hospitals, in states that expanded Medicaid experienced improved financial performance and were less likely to close.

Medicaid expansion is associated with a decrease in both violent and property crimes, and associated government spending to reduce crime.

Coverage reduces individuals' and families' financial burden and risk by reducing annual out-of-pocket spending and essentially eliminating catastrophic expenditures.

In Ohio, individuals who became eligible for and enrolled in Medicaid reported that enrollment made it easier to work and to seek work.

In Montana, Medicaid expansion is estimated to create 5 thousand jobs annually between 2018 and 2020, resulting in roughly $270 million in personal income each year.

In Michigan, enrollment in Medicaid following Medicaid expansion is found to be associated with improved financial health, including a reduction in unpaid medical bills. Enrollees with the greatest medical needs, e.g., chronic illness diagnoses, saw the greatest improvement in their financial health.

Many U.S. Residents Remain Uninsured

Despite these coverage gains, nearly 28 million U.S. residents remain uninsured. However, the proportion of people without health insurance varies dramatically across states, from a high of 17.7% in Texas to a low of 2.8% in Massachusetts. Insurance status also varies by race and ethnicity. For example, Hispanics have disproportionately high rates of being uninsured, as compared to non-Hispanic whites.

Impact of the Uninsured on the Health Care System

The high rate of uninsured puts stress on the broader health care system. People without insurance put off needed care and rely more heavily on hospital emergency departments, resulting in scarce resources being directed to treat conditions that often could have been prevented or managed in a lower-cost setting. Being uninsured also has serious financial implications for individuals, communities and the health care system.

While all providers offer some level of charity care, it is insufficient to meet fully the needs of the uninsured. In 2017, hospitals provided $38.4 billion in uncompensated care to patients. However, hospitals also absorbed an additional $76.8 billion in underpayments from Medicare and Medicaid, and are facing additional funding reductions through cuts to the Medicare and Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payment programs. These factors dramatically reduce the resources available to hospitals to provide charity care.

1. Antonisse, Larisa, et al., "The Effects of Medicaid Expansion under the ACA: Updated Findings from a Literature Review," Kaiser Family Foundation, August 2019.

2. America's Health Insurance Plans, "The Value of Medicaid: Providing Access to Care and Preventive Health Services," April 2018.

3. Venkataramani, Pollack, and Roberts, "Spillover Effects of Adult Medicaid Expansions on Children's Use of Preventive Services," Pediatrics, December 2017.

4. Simon, Soni and Cawley, "The Impact of Health Insurance on Preventive Care and Health Behaviors: Evidence from the First Two Years of the ACA Medicaid Expansions," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 2017.

5. Ghosh, Simon and Sommers, "The Effect of State Medicaid Expansions on Prescription Drug Use: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act," National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series, January 2017.

6. Myerson, Lu, Tonnu-Mihara and Huang, "Medicaid Eligibility Expansions May Address Gaps in Access to Diabetes Medicaitions," Health Affairs, August 2018.

7. Connecticut Health Foundation, "Faces of Husky D: The Impact of Connecticut's Medicaid Expansion," May 2018.

8. Antonisse, Larisa, et al., "The Effects of Medicaid Expansion under the ACA: Updated Findings from a Literature Review," Kaiser Family Foundation, August 2019.

9. Kaufman, Chen, et.al., "Surge in Newly Identified Diabetes Among Medicaid Patients in 2014 within Medicaid Expansion States Under the Affordable Care Act," Diabetes Care, May 2015.

10. Loehrer, Chang, Scott, et al., "Association of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion With Access to and Quality of Care for Surgical Conditions," JAMA Surgery, March 2018.

11. Smith, Anna and Nickels, Amanda, "Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Early-State Diagnosis and Treatment for Women with Ovarian Cancer," Journal of Clinical Oncology, June 2019.

12. Adamson, Blythe J. S., et al., "Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid Expansion Impact on Racial Disparities in Time to Cancer Treatment," ASCO Annual Meeting/Journal of Clinical Oncology, June 2019.

13. Mesquita-Neto, Jose, et al., "Disparities In Access To Cancer Surgery After Medicaid Expansion," The American Journal of Surgery, June 2019.

14. Gan, Tong et al., "Impact of the Affordable Care Act on Colorectal Cancer Screening, Incidence, and Survival in Kentucky," Journal of the American College of Surgeons (Vol. 228, No. 4), April 2019.

15. Ajkay, Bhutiani, et al., "Early Impact of Medicaid Expansion and Quality of Breast Cancer Care in Kentucky," Journal of the American College of Surgeons, April 2018.

16. Antonisse, Larisa, et al., "The Effects of Medicaid Expansion under the ACA: Updated Findings from a Literature Review," Kaiser Family Foundation, August 2019.

17. Kozloff and Sommers, "Insurance Coverage and Health Outcomes in Young Adults with Mental Illness Following the Affordable Care Act Dependent Coverage Expansion," Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, July/August 2017.

18. The Ohio Department of Medicaid, "Ohio Medicaid Group VIII Assessment: A Report to the Ohio General Assembly," August 2018.

19. Connecticut Health Foundation, "Faces of Husky D: The Impact of Connecticut's Medicaid Expansion," May 2018.

20. Antonisse, Larisa, et al., "The Effects of Medicaid Expansion under the ACA: Updated Findings from a Literature Review," Kaiser Family Foundation, August 2019.

21. Saloner, Brendan, et al., "The Affordable Care Act in the Health of the Opioid Crisis: Evidence from West Virginia," Health Affairs (Vol. 38, No. 4), April 2019.

22. Courtemanche, Marton, et.al., "Early Effects of the Affordable Care Act on Health Care Access, Risky Health Behaviors, and Self-Assessed Health," National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series, March 2017.

23. Sommers, Blendon, et.al., "Changes in Utilization and Health Among Low-Income Adults After Medicaid Expansion or Expanded Private Insurance," JAMA Internal Medicine, August 2016.

24. Wehby, George, et al., "Effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Coverage and Access to Care in Metropolitan vs. Non-Metropolitan Areas through 2016," RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis, August 2019.

25. Miller, Sarah, et al., "Medicaid and Mortality: New Evidence from Linked Survey and Administrative Date," National Bureau of Economic Research, July 2019.

26. Sommers, Long, and Baicker, "Changes in Mortality after Massachusetts Health Care Reform," Annals of Internal Medicine, 2014.

27. Khatana, Sameed A. M., et al., "Association of Medicaid Expansion with Cardiovascular Mortality," JAMA Cardiology, June 2019.

28. Koma, Donohue, Barry, et al. "Medicaid Coverage Expansions and Cigarette Smoking Cessation Among Low-income Adults," December 2017.

29. Antonisse, Larisa, et al., "The Effects of Medicaid Expansion under the ACA: Updated Findings from a Literature Review," Kaiser Family Foundation, August 2019.

30. Baicker, Taubman, et.al., "The Oregon Experiment - Effects of Medicaid on Clinical Outcomes," New England Journal of Medicine, May 2013.

31. Sommers, Blendon, et.al., "Changes in Utilization and Health Among Low-Income Adults After Medicaid Expansion or Expanded Private Insurance," JAMA Internal Medicine, August 2016.

32. Antonisse, Larisa, et al., "The Effects of Medicaid Expansion under the ACA: Updated Findings from a Literature Review," Kaiser Family Foundation, August 2019.

33. Antwi, Moriya, et. al. "Changes in Emergency Department Use among Young Adults after the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's Dependent Coverage Provision," Annals of Emergency Medicine, June 2015.

34. Sommers, Blendon, et.al., "Changes in Utilization and Health Among Low-Income Adults After Medicaid Expansion or Expanded Private Insurance," JAMA Internal Medicine, August 2016.

35. The Ohio Department of Medicaid, "Ohio Medicaid Group VIII Assessment: A Report to the Ohio General Assembly," August 2018.

36. Connecticut Health Foundation, "Faces of Husky D: The Impact of Connecticut's Medicaid Expansion," May 2018.

37. Sommers, Blendon, et.al., "Changes in Utilization and Health Among Low-Income Adults After Medicaid Expansion or Expanded Private Insurance," JAMA Internal Medicine, August 2016.

38. Lindrooth, Perraillon, Hardy, and Tung, "Understanding The Relationship Between Medicaid Expansions And Hospital Closures," Health Affairs, January 2018.

39. US Government Accountability Office, "Rural Hospital Closures: Number and Characteristics of Affected Hospitals and Contributing Factors," August 2018.

40. Vogler, "Access to Health Care and Criminal Behavior: Short-Run Evidence from the ACA Medicaid Expansions," University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, September 2017.

41. Sommers, Long, and Baicker, "Changes in Mortality after Massachusetts Health Care Reform," Annals of Internal Medicine, 2014.

42. Baicker, Taubman, et.al., "The Oregon Experiment - Effects of Medicaid on Clinical Outcomes," New England Journal of Medicine, May 2013.

43. The Ohio Department of Medicaid, "Ohio Medicaid Group VIII Assessment: A Report to the Ohio General Assembly," August 2018.

44. Ward and Bridge, "The Economic Impact of Medicaid Expansion in Montana," Bureau of Business and Economic Research, University of Montana, April 2018.

45. Miller, et al., "The ACA Medicaid Expansion in Michigan and Financial Health," National Bureau of Economic Research, September 2018.

46. U.S. Census Bureau, 2018 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.

47. Kaiser Family Foundation, "Key Facts about the Uninsured Population," December 2018.

48. AHA Chart Book, 2017.

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Report: The Importance of Health Coverage | AHA

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Find out why health insurance is important and what the importance of medical insurance coverage in the United States is to Americans. U.S. health insurance facilitates access to care and is associated with lower death rates, better health outcomes, and improved productivity. Why is it important to have health insurance?

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"One of my closest friends' mom had melanoma and had to go through multiple surgeries. These bills became very expensive for them and to this day they are still paying them off and this affects the lifestyle they live now. When people are sick this makes them worry about how they will possibly pay for the bills and often leaves them wondering whether they even have the option to get the treatment, so making healthcare free or at least more affordable would tremendously help these people to not go bankrupt after receiving medical care. Families should not have to choose between their health and paying their water and food bills." Healthcare should be a fundamental right, not a luxury only available to those who can afford it. The financial burden caused by medical expenses is far too common and is heartbreaking. Medical care is a necessity, but for many, it’s a challenge that threatens not just their health but their financial situation as well. When families have to choose between paying medical bills or keeping up with essential expenses like food and utilities, that reflects the main point that something is deeply wrong with our healthcare system.

Everyone deserves to get the care they need without going bankrupt.

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Many people argue whether healthcare should be free or a privilege. Because of all that is happening around the world right now with covid-19 this is a huge topic that should be discussed. Healthcare is not a privilege or an opportunity in fact it is essential for survival. It is a right that should not be taken from people. Financial issues should not be the reason why a human does not get the medical attention they need. Providing free healthcare to the public is not something that can be done easily and it would take a lot of financing and policies to make this fair to everyone but here are some reasons why it should be considered.

1. bankruptcy

Medical bills can be a huge problem in families because not only is healthcare not free but it is in fact very expensive. Many families struggle with this and cannot get the medical attention needed due to their financial situation. One of my closest friends' mom had melanoma and had to go through multiple surgeries. These bills became very expensive for them and to this day they are still paying them off and this affects the lifestyle they live now. When people are sick this makes them worry how they will possibly pay for the bills and often leaves them wondering whether they even have the option to get the treatment, so making healthcare free or at least more affordable would tremendously help these people to not go bankrupt after receiving medical care. Families should not have to choose between their health and paying their water and food bills.

2. Correct Care

When it comes to health and prescriptions it should come down to what is the best option for the patient. With healthcare being so expensive right now insurance companies are deciding what is best for the patients rather than what the doctor is prescribing. My friend's mom with the melanoma was getting surgeries and treatments based off of her billing plan through her insurance and did not fully get the proper care needed which led to complications in the end. Free healthcare would provide the patients with the doctors orders rather than insurance companies.

3. The Unemployed

The unemployed would especially benefit from free healthcare. Once again healthcare is a right and should not be taken away from people who are in hard times financially. There are so many homeless unemployed people on the streets with signs asking for help. I have seen pregnant women who are homeless and have signs asking for help. Pregnant women need lots of medical care and attention and these unemployed people cannot afford to go see a doctor and are not getting the proper care. Free healthcare would help these suffering women on the streets to protect their baby and have a healthy pregnancy.

4. It is a right

Healthcare is a fundamental human right. This should not be taken away from anyone because they are struggling financially. Having access to healthcare is something that is crucial to have stability in the world. When everyone has access to healthcare we are improving humanity and ending the suffering of many lives. We should ensure we are providing everyone with their appropriate needs including treatments and surgeries for diseases that cause suffering.

5. It can prevent the spreading of diseases

Affordable healthcare could tremendously decrease the spread of diseases and viruses. If everyone is getting treated the amount of people that would get the disease would be much lower. Sometimes when people get diseases they will look into the cost of the treatment and realize the treatment is out of their budget and will then deny the treatment. They will then go on with their life spreading the disease to others. If doctor visits and vaccinations and antibiotics were free the diseases would not travel as much and as often.

One thing that is really big in healthcare is the competition between health service providers. They compete for who gets the most patients and when looking at patients they care for the richest ones. They completely lose sight of what is important and instead focus on who is willing to and can afford to pay for the medical expenses rather than who needs the attention the most. Having free healthcare will ensure that all medical providers are practicing good ethics and are paying attention to the problem rather than the money.

7. Improving the economy

Providing free healthcare would have an enormous impact on the economy. Many people do not work because they have health conditions which they cannot afford to fix. A country with free healthcare would have a stronger economy than those with pricey healthcare. If people were able to get the attention they need to work this would improve their productivity which would then improve the economy. My aunt in Alabama has a bad knee but cannot afford surgery to get it fixed so she does not work. If she was able to afford the surgery she would be able to be more productive for the country and her family.

Conclusion

Overall there are many benefits to free healthcare. It would make our country a better place with a better economy and prevent the spread of diseases. Healthcare is a right that people deserve to obtain. It would make people feel a sense of equality and would help end suffering in many such as the homeless and middle and lower class people. It would be a long process and there would be alot of argumentation to put the right system in place but with all of the benefits that it would provide it is something that needs to be talked about and considered. One question that could help us look further into the problem is 'How does the expensive healthcare system affect different people?'.

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Create your own listicle on the Virtual Writing Tutor.

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What are the negative impacts of Healthcare prices soaring?

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"Take Aimee Snyder, a 28-year-old graduate student at the University of Arizona. She got preoccupied with choosing her courses and missed the sign-up deadline for health insurance by one day. Then she started having leg pains and shortness of breath. ...After hobbling around in pain for several days, she discovered she could get a discount on her hospital bill and went to the ER. Doctors found an extensive blood clot in her leg, with pieces breaking off and going to her lungs. She could have died within hours. Luckily, she's fine, but she's had to pay more than $15,000 in bills so far, and she's had to borrow from her family and use student loan funds to pay them."

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To get a feeling for what being sick in America is really like, and to help us understand the findings of our poll with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, NPR did a call-out on Facebook. We asked people to share their experiences of the health care system, and within 24 hours, we were flooded with close to 1,000 responses.

The stories, often lengthy and detailed, echoed what our poll found: Americans with recent firsthand experience of the U.S. medical system are more likely than the general public to say there are serious problems with the cost and quality of care.

From Oregon to Florida and Maine to Mississippi, Facebook respondents told wrenching tales of bankruptcies, missed diagnoses, medical errors, miscommunication and treatment that was delayed or foregone because of its cost.

Take Aimee Snyder, a 28-year-old graduate student at the University of Arizona. She got preoccupied with choosing her courses and missed the sign-up deadline for health insurance by one day. Then she started having leg pains and shortness of breath.

"My leg swelled up to double the size and turned purple," Snyder says. But she didn't seek care because she couldn't imagine how she'd pay the emergency room bill. After hobbling around in pain for several days, she discovered she could get a discount on her hospital bill and went to the ER.

Doctors found an extensive blood clot in her leg, with pieces breaking off and going to her lungs. She could have died within hours. Luckily, she's fine, but she's had to pay more than $15,000 in bills so far, and she's had to borrow from her family and use student loan funds to pay them.

The new poll finds that 43 percent of people with recent illness ended up with serious financial problems.

Sometimes, medical bills are higher than they need to be. Andrew Dasenbrock of Salt Lake City recently had to pay twice for much of his care. He's 32, a self-employed IT consultant who says he can't afford health insurance.

It started when he woke up one night with alarming stomach pain - "like shards of glass traveling through me," he says. Doctors at a nearby urgent care center ran a bunch of tests but couldn't figure out what was wrong, so they sent him to the hospital.

Even though the hospital was part of the same system, the doctors there weren't alerted that Dasenbrock was coming and his records weren't transferred. So he had to fill out the same questionnaires and repeat all the same diagnostic tests, as he was doubled over in pain.

A CT scan showed a nonserious ailment that needed only simple treatment - lots of fluids - and Dasenbrock went home. But two days later he got two bills totaling thousands of dollars.

"I laid the two bills next to each other and it was literally word for word, letter for letter and line item by line item the same charges ... for all the tests I had gone through," Dasenbrock says. He ended up having to pay for the duplicate tests.

Just as in the poll, the cost of care was a big problem for many Facebook users who contacted NPR. And often they reported ruinous financial problems.

Marty Clear is one case. He's a 60-year-old freelance writer in Tampa who can't afford health insurance. "If I make $400 a week, it's a really good week," he says.

He went to the emergency room for a problem and doctors found something unrelated: an enormous tumor on his kidney. It turned out to weigh 8 pounds.

"I was treated at one of the best cancer hospitals in the country, but I know I'll never have any money again," Clear laments. "I'm never going to be out of debt for this."

Clear has sold his car and he skips meals to save money. He feels he'll never be able to pay off medical bills, which may total $200,000. The worst part, he says, is the guilt.

"I feel awful every single day," he says. "You know, people saved my life. And more than that - people fed me and bathed me and changed my socks, you know? And they're not going to get paid - at least they're not going to get paid by me. And I'm going to be ashamed of that for the rest of my life."

There were hundreds of stories raising questions about the quality of care people got. Many were too complicated to recount briefly, and difficult to verify in any objective way. But the level of detail and thoughtfulness of many responses makes it clear things did not go the way they should.

A major theme was miscommunication among caregivers. Jacki Bronicki, a medical librarian at the University of Michigan, tells of the frustration she felt about the treatment received by her father, 80-year-old Douglas Harlow Brown, who has Parkinson's disease.

Last year he fell and broke three ribs. He was admitted to the hospital, and his mental state began to deteriorate by the second day. "He wasn't even coherent by the third day," Bronicki says.

Brown, a retired engineer who taught physics, was mentally fine before the hospitalization, Bronicki says. So it wasn't normal for him to be so confused.

But she says the parade of doctors who saw him seemed to assume "that was his natural state, given his age and condition. We would have to convince each new doctor that saw him - tell the story of his Parkinson's, explain that this was not his normal, that he was normally functioning, talking, coherent."

A neurologist finally figured out what was wrong. Different doctors had prescribed different pain medications, and the drugs were interfering with Brown's Parkinson's medication. That caused his mental deterioration and made his limbs rigid.

After the medication was straightened out, Brown improved. But Bronicki and her sisters felt they had to maintain a constant vigil at his bedside to prevent another medication error.

And now Bronicki regrets that she ever took her father to the hospital in the first place. After all, there's no specific treatment for broken ribs, which must heal by themselves.

"He has a lot more dementia than he had a year before," she says. "He can't walk anymore. And I'm not sure if it would have normally progressed like this, or if we really sped it up."

Among many stories like this, there were some from people who think the quality of their care is fine.

Liz Gubernatis of Saint Joseph, Mo., says she's been "astonished at the supportive, cohesive care" she has gotten since she was diagnosed recently with diabetes.

"I've been scared, but educated," she writes, "cried, but consoled, and cheered on by a team of amazing doctors, nurses and patient-care folks. Being sick in America isn't all doom and gloom."

According to the new poll, one in four people with recent illness say the quality of care is not a problem for this country. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement.

And even though nearly half of poll respondents say they're very satisfied with the quality of care they get, that leaves lots of room for improvement.
If you want to dive deeper, here's a summary of the poll findings, plus the topline data and charts.

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Your Stories Of Being Sick Inside The U.S. Health Care System

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To get a feeling for what being sick in America is really like, and to help us understand the findings of our poll with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, NPR did a call-out on Facebook.

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What are the benefits that come with lower healthcare prices?

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Why is healthcare affordability such a pressing public health issue?

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In order to give every U.S. a chance at a healthy life U.S. hospitals should lower their prices so no matter what anyone's financial situation is they can have access to the healthcare they need.

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The prices of healthcare are getting outrageous. It's becoming so high that some people aren't getting necessary medicine because they can't afford it.