Compared to other developed nations, health care in the United States is expensive — prescriptions, MRIs, routine and emergency surgeries can cost more than triple the amount in the U.S. compared to other countries. In 2014, per capita health care costs in the U.S. totaled $9,024 — the average health care costs per person in other developed nations was $3,620.
With the high likelihood of costly medical bills, many Americans are forced to delay or completely put off going to the doctor, particularly for non-emergency situations. HealthGrove, a health data site by Graphiq, identified the metropolitan areas where the most people are struggling to afford medical care.
To do this, the experts at HealthGrove collected and analyzed 2015 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in which respondents were asked the question "Was there a time in the past 12 months when you needed to see a doctor in the past year but could not because of cost?" Metropolitan areas are ranked based on the percentage of people who answered "yes" to that question.
In the most extreme area, nearly one in five people reported avoiding the doctor due to cost, and the percentage is at least 10 percent in all 62 places. Most of these areas are in southern states including South Carolina, Louisiana and Mississippi. Considering health care costs may soon become even more expensive for certain Americans, it's important to acknowledge which areas are already struggling.
*Note: BRFSS reports data for metropolitan statistical areas, which may span multiple states. The St. Louis City metro area, for example, consists of counties in both Missouri and Illinois, even though St. Louis is only in Missouri.
Population data is from the 2014 US Census Bureau.
Compiled by Tessa Boyce, HealthGrove.com
