NEARLY 60% OF PEOPLE SKIP OR DELAY MEDICAL TREATMENT DUE TO HIGH COSTS—HERE'S WHAT TO DO INSTEAD

Key Takeaways

• Many people postpone or skip medical care due to the cost, a recent survey finds.
• You don't need to forgo the care you need because of cost.
• Instead, research price information for services and see if you qualify for financial assistance or payment plans ahead of time.

If you've ever been in the position of having to delay or skip medical care because you can't afford it, you're not alone.

A recent survey of 500 people by Alphaeon Credit—a medical financing provider—found that nearly 60% of people reported postponing or avoiding medical care due to cost.

To avoid neglecting necessary medical care or forgoing it all together, try these steps:

If Possible, Check Prices Beforehand

While not all hospitals or providers disclose how much services or procedures will cost, some do, so it's important to give your provider a call or explore their website for information.

In certain circumstances—such as if you're uninsured or you have insurance and plan to pay the cash price—a provider may be required to provide you with a 'good faith estimate' of how much a service will cost ahead of time.

However, if you have insurance and plan to submit a claim, you might have to do some digging.

Due to a federal rule that went into effect in 2021, hospitals are required to publish pricing information online for common medical services. This information includes the rates that insurance companies negotiate and cash prices.

You can find this information on your hospital's website or through a platform like Turquoise Health—a health care information provider—to comparison shop.

But some people may find this data to be lacking or hard to understand.

According to PatientRightsAdvocate.org, a nonprofit focused on transparency in health care pricing, only 21.1% of hospitals were considered fully compliant with the 2021 rule as of November 2024. Even worse, only 16.8% of hospitals published prices in dollars because hospitals are allowed to publish percentages, algorithms, and formulas instead of real prices.

See If You're Eligible For Financial Assistance

If you seek medical care at a nonprofit hospital, you may be able to receive discounted or free care. That's because nonprofit hospitals in the U.S. are required to provide financial assistance to those who cannot afford care.

Nearly 60% of community hospitals in the U.S. are considered nonprofits as of 2023, according to data from the American Hospital Association, a lobbying organization and trade group for hospitals.

Even if you have insurance, you could still be eligible for financial assistance. Qualification criteria varies, too, so read up on your provider's policy. You may need to fall bellow certain income and asset thresholds and meet specific residency requirements to be eligible.

Request a Payment Plan

Some hospitals and providers may offer payment plans, so consider calling your provider to see if that's an option.

With a payment plan, the total cost of your medical bill may be spread out over many months instead of requiring one lump-sum payment. The interest rate on these payment plans can be as low as 0%, making them a better financing option than higher interest options like credit cards.

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2026-01-21T17:02:50Z