More Americans can't afford medical care, new survey finds

NEW YORK: It's not just the high price of gas or cheeseburgers that is contributing to Americans' unhappiness over the cost of living.

- REED ABELSON

Health care remains stubbornly unaffordable for millions of people, according to a new survey released Wednesday that underscores the struggle many people face in seeing a doctor or visit or a prescription drug even before any talk of cutting government coverage.

In the survey, conducted from mid-November to late December 2023 by West Health and Gallup, also showed widening disparities as Black and Hispanic adults, and for those making the least amount of money. A quarter of those with an annual household income of less than $48,000 (about 81.8000 baht) said they could not afford or access care within the past three months.