affordable medical care Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Americans Borrowed $74 Billion Last Year to Cover Healthcare Costs

The AHA! Team — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 05:28:31 +0000

West Health Institute via EurekAlert! – West Health-Gallup survey finds millions worried about medical debt – About 6 in 10 adults who borrowed money for healthcare borrowed $500 or more. March 5, 2025 More than 31 million Americans (12%) report needing to borrow about $74 billion last year to pay for healthcare despite most having some form of health insurance, according to a new survey from West Health and Gallup. Nearly one-third (28%) report being “very concerned” that a major health event could throw them into debt. The survey found almost 20% of Americans aged 49 and under needed to borrow money to cover medical costs compared with just 9% of those 50 to 64. Women between the ages of 50 and 64 were twice as likely as men in the same age group to say they had to borrow (12% vs. 6%). Two percent of Medicare-eligible adults (those over the age of 65) reported having to borrow. Need of policy reform “Too many Americans are racking up medical debt whether they have health insurance or not,” said Tim Lash, President, West Health Policy Center, part of West Health, a family of nonprofit organizations focused on healthcare and aging. “A high-priced healthcare system that requires Americans to take out loans or make painful tradeoffs just to stay healthy is in desperate need of policy reform or things will get even worse.” Black (23%) and Hispanic adults (16%) were significantly more likely to report having borrowed money than White (9%) adults. The biggest disparities were found among adults under the age of 50. Black adults aged 18-49 (29%) were the biggest borrowers followed by Hispanic adults (19%) and White adults (14%) in the same age range. Americans with children under the age of 18 were twice as likely to report borrowing compared to households with no children (19% vs. 8%). Breakdown of Borrowing Americans collectively borrowed about $74 billion to pay for healthcare last year, with more than half (58%) borrowing $500 or more and 41% borrowing $1,000 or more. Fourteen percent borrowed $5,000 or more. Concerns Over Medical Debt Across Age, Race and Income Most Americans (58%) report being at least somewhat concerned that a major health event could land them in debt, including 28% who say they are “very concerned.” Concerns span income levels, with more than six in 10 households with annual incomes under $120,000 worried. Fewer higher earners were concerned, but 40% of households making over $180,000 report they too have concerns. Even with Medicare eligibility, more than half (52%) of people aged 65 or older say they are at least somewhat concerned they could go into medical debt if they suffered a major health event. Concerns also run high among Black adults (62%), Hispanic adults (63%) and women (62%). Only 14% of respondents say they are not concerned at all. “It is clear that high healthcare costs continue to burden the American people, and financial insecurity around care is not limited to any one demographic,” said Dan Witters, director of wellbeing research at Gallup. “These findings underscore the need for solutions that make healthcare more affordable for all Americans.” Methodology The West Health-Gallup Survey was conducted via web Nov. 11-18, 2024, with a nationally representative sample of 3,583 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. The margin of sampling error is ±2.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. About West Health Solely funded by philanthropists Gary and Mary West, West Health is a family of nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations that include the Gary and Mary West Foundation and Gary and Mary West Health Institute in San Diego and the Gary and Mary West Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C. West Health is dedicated to lowering healthcare costs to enable seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality and affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence. Learn more at westhealth.org. About Gallup Gallup delivers analytics and advice to help leaders and organizations solve their most pressing problems. Combining more than 80 years of experience with its global reach, Gallup knows more about the attitudes and behaviors of employees, customers, students and citizens than any other organization in the world. Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. To read the original article click here.

The post Americans Borrowed $74 Billion Last Year to Cover Healthcare Costs appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Patients Beyond Borders Announces Top 10 Cities for Medical Tourists in 2020

AHA Publisher — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 08:00:48 +0000

Patients Beyond Borders via Newswise – America’s rising healthcare costs, in tandem with 82 million uninsured or underinsured medical consumers, have given rise to a startling trend of medical refugees. In 2020, more than two million American patients will travel to another country in search of more affordable medical treatment, up nearly tenfold from around 250,000 medical travelers just a decade ago. Newswise — Patients Beyond Borders has teamed up with Medical Departures (with nearly 100,000 medical tourism bookings to date) revealing that more than 85% of all medical travel is to a handful of safe, popular metropolitan centers around the globe. This is good news for people who think medical travel is only to far-flung, little-known destinations. Getting in and out of these large metro destinations is usually easy and inexpensive: ultra-modern airports and rail, with wide-ranging options for lodging (from luxury to budget), dining and sightseeing. Turns out these are some of the most fascinating cities on the planet. Why not return from a procedure having recuperated or vacationed in a vibrant urban setting? #10 Barcelona (Spain): Ranked the world’s 7th best healthcare nation by the World Health Organization, Spain’s medical schools and facilities are among the finest in Europe. Barcelona is home to more than a dozen internationally-accredited medical centers and clinics, serving English-speaking patients from the US, Canada, UK and Australia. Specialty patients take advantage of Barcelona’s ultra-modern facilities and skilled practitioner, while vacationers goose their budget with an afternoon of savings on light medical or dental work. Specialties: Ophthalmology, Dentistry, Cosmetic Surgery, Orthopedics, Fertility,IVF, Pediatrics Savings: 40-75% #9 Istanbul (Turkey): For travelers seeking remedies to hair loss, Turkey is best-known for affordable hair transplantation. With more than 600 registered clinics in Istanbul alone, patients from the immediate region and beyond undergo the latest treatments and technologies toward regaining a full head of hair. One of Europe’s largest vision centers (Dunyagoz) serves patients worldwide for evaluations, eyeglass prescriptions, cataracts, glaucoma and more.Specialties: Vision, Dentistry, Hair Transplant Savings: 50-70% #8 Bali (Indonesia): As one of Asia’s most popular destinations for chill vacation travel, it’s no wonder Bali’s leading medical centers look more like health spas than specialty hospitals. Savvy holiday-makers take an afternoon for a teeth whitening, MRI or Botox treatment before heading into the night. Specialties: Dentistry, Health check-ups, Screenings Savings: 50-85% #7 Seoul (South Korea): Seoul is the heart of the world’s highest per-capita rate of cosmetic treatment. The posh Gangnam District alone boasts some 500 cosmetic and aesthetic centers, offering surgical procedures of all descriptions. South Korea also leads in non-invasive strategies–from Botox to dermal fillers to laser hair removal to dental veneers–increasingly popular for people who want to improve their looks without going under the knife. Specialties: Cosmetic surgery, Aesthetic treatments Savings: 30-50% #6 Mumbai (India): One of India’s most progressive urban centers, Mumbai offers exceptional medical care at eye-popping discounts. With nearly one in seven US surgeons of Indian descent, Americans are catching on that a trip to one of Mumbai’s finest can put real money in the pocket without compromising quality of care. Some of the world’s top orthopedic and heart specialists practice in Mumbai. Specialties: Orthopedics, Cardiology Savings: 55-90% #5 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia): While most Asia-bound health travel is to India or Thailand, Malaysia is now firmly on the medical travel charts. In 2019, more than one million medical travelers will seek treatment in Malaysia, from cosmetic and dental care to complex orthopedic, spine and cardiovascular procedures. Malaysia is one of the world’s leading medical value destinations, where patients can realize up to 80% savings on a wide range of procedures and treatments in first-class hospitals and clinics. Big on preventive care, health check-ups and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are popular among patients seeking alternative treatments for common as well as complex conditions. Specialties: Orthopedics, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Savings: 45-80% #4 Escazú (Costa Rica): This vibrant, ultra-Americanized suburb of San Jose attracts dental and medical tourists from all over the world–some 65,000 every year. Clinics are known for complex restorative and cosmetic dentistry (such as implants), saving patients tens of thousands over fees at shelled out at home. Two internationally accredited full-service medical centers perform weight loss procedures, along with orthopedics and heart work. Specialties: Dentistry, cosmetic surgery, bariatrics Savings: 40-60% Escazu, Costa Rica #3 Cancun (Mexico): This resort town welcomes tens of thousands of “incidental” medical travelers annually: people taking in a light, money-saving medical or dental treatment as part of their vacation. Cosmetic surgeries and non-invasive aesthetic treatments are big here as well. While there, you can pick up quality pharmaceuticals for any valid prescription written in the United States, at deep discounts. Specialties: Dentistry, cosmetic surgery, weight loss surgery, pharma travel Savings: 40-70% #2 Budapest (Hungary): No stranger to medical tourism, Hungary’s capital and its thermal waters have been welcoming international travelers since ancient Grecian times. Budapest and its sister cities to the north (Mosonmagyaróvár and Györ) boast the highest per-capita dental clinics in the world. Europeans (and increasingly North Americans) flock there in search of low-cost care and a hydrothermal soak. Specialties: Dentistry Savings: 40-60% #1 Bangkok (Thailand): No longer just for sex change surgeries, Bangkok has become the world’s epicenter of medical tourism, welcoming more than two million cross-border patients every year. What’s not to like about recovering from a medical procedure in a world-class Thai resort hotel or spa–at unbeatable prices. Bangkok’s venerated, internationally accredited Bumrungrad International Hospital (featured on 60 Minutes and CNN’s Inside Man), welcomes tens of thousands of North American and European patients every year. Specialties: Cosmetic surgery, restorative dentistry Savings: 50-75% To read the original article click here.

The post Patients Beyond Borders Announces Top 10 Cities for Medical Tourists in 2020 appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.