Why Millions Are Skipping Medical Care — and What You Can Do About It

Increased demand. 88% of older Americans have a chronic condition like hypertension, arthritis, or heart disease, and 60% of seniors live with at least two health issues. The high demand for health care will likely keep rising. By 2030, senior citizens will outnumber children in the U.S for the first time. One in every five Americans will be at least 65 years old.

What Type of Health Care Are People Most Likely To Skip?

Skipping health care that you need doesn't make it go away. "People delay care, and what happens is they end up using emergency services or they have a manageable chronic disease like diabetes or asthma, but they're not getting care to manage it," says Angove.

Of the people who took WebMD's survey, 21% didn't get a prescription medication because of its cost. That, as well as other cost saving strategies like taking medication less often or splitting pills to make them last longer, can also lead to bad health outcomes and increased medical costs.

The Stress of Health Care Costs

Among WebMD survey respondents, 42% "sometimes" worried about health care over the past year, and 26% of people described their stress as "severe."

Concerns about how to pay for health care can take a toll on your emotional health. "They absolutely are interconnected," Angove says. "We think that people live in this bubble of, 'Oh, I have health care stress over here, and then I have this life over here.' That's not the case."

For instance, 32% of WebMD survey respondents said they had a "constant" fear of getting sick or injured; 30% experienced panic or anxiety attacks.

Some ways that respondents tried to afford health care included:

• Working while sick
• Taking out loans and using credit cards
• Cutting back on groceries
• Reducing childcare
• Delaying school
• Taking on an extra job
• Struggling to pay utilities 
• Moving to cheaper housing or delaying a move
• Canceling a vacation
• Defaulting on debts

"The stress of how to pay for care, when you're already sick and maybe have a diagnosis that you're trying to manage, is very real," Angove says.

How to Afford Health Care

While many experts agree that our current health care system is broken, it's less clear how or when it will be fixed.

To try to afford the care that you need right now, you can:

Choose your health plan carefully. Options with lower monthly premiums often have higher deductibles and copays, but they might not save you money if you need care.

For example, one study found that people whose health plan had a deductible or coinsurance spent six times more out of pocket for prescription medicines than people who only had a copay.

Know the rules of your health plan. Use doctors, labs, and imaging centers that are in your health plan's network. If you need help finding an in-network provider or service, call the number on the back of your insurance card. In non-emergencies, go to an urgent care center instead of a hospital emergency room, which is usually more expensive.

Don't pass up preventive care, like annual exams, well-child visits, and sometimes even dental cleanings. Health plans usually offer them for free or at a lower cost.

Shop around for prescriptions. "You may think that Drug A costs the same at every single place you go, and that is not the case," Angove says.

Just like grocery prices vary from store to store, prescription drug prices do, too. Compare prices at pharmacies in your area.

Get help with copays. Many drugmakers offer patient assistance programs (PAPs) to help with the cost of a prescription. You can also look into state pharmaceutical assistance programs (SPAPs) or state-run drug discount programs.

Nonprofits can be a lifeline, too. For instance, Needymeds.org can help you find drug coupons or rebates. The Patient Advocate Foundation's TotalAssist program includes nearly 150 diagnosis-specific funds that help not only with medication copays, but other costs like coinsurance, deductibles, and health insurance premiums.

Talk to your doctor. "Having really open conversations with your doctor about cost is important," Angove says. Be honest about what you can, and can't, afford and ask about less costly treatment options.

Of the people who responded to WebMD's survey, 62% said that using generic instead of brand-name medications helped lower their health care costs.

Get support. Our current health care system is complicated and takes time and energy to navigate. You don't have to do it on your own. "There is support out there," Angove says.

Connect with a trusted nonprofit group for people who live with your specific condition or a patient advocacy group that offers free case management services.

Keep track of all your health care expenses. "Document every cost you incur, even when you're deciding whether to delay care," says Brian Nguyen, a personal injury lawyer in Houston. Besides keeping receipts, write down your symptoms, and note each time that the cost impacts a decision you make about your health.

"If your situation ever becomes a legal matter, that paper trail matters enormously," he says.