A quarter of Americans say they or a family member had difficulties paying medical bills in the last 12 months even though 69% have health insurance, according to a poll of 1,201 adults conducted by ABC News, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and USA Today. The number of Americans reporting financial hardship as a result of medical costs was the highest since Kaiser began its surveys in 1997. In addition, 28% of respondents said they have delayed medical care because of the cost, and 60% said they are worried about not being able to afford insurance in the future. And although 80% said they are dissatisfied with the overall cost of healthcare, 89% said they are satisfied with the quality of care they received. The results of the survey are being highlighted in weeklong reports on ABC News, ABCNews.com, and in USA Today.
