Americans More Likely to Skip Health Care for Cost, Survey Says

Americans are more likely to go without health care because of cost and report the most disputes with insurance companies compared with consumers surveyed in 11 industrialized nations such as Germany and Switzerland.

One of three U.S. consumers said they failed to see a doctor when sick, fill a prescription or get recommended care because of out-of-pocket costs, according to a survey released today by the Commonwealth Fund. Almost one-third of those surveyed reported difficulty filling out paperwork or said insurers had denied a claim over medical bills or paid less than anticipated.