The number of U.S. residents who delay or forgo necessary medical care because of cost concerns has increased significantly in the last four years, according to a report recently released by the Center for Studying Health System Change, a nonpartisan policy-research group. The report, “Falling Behind: Americans' Access to Medical Care Deteriorates, 2003-2007,” found that 20 percent of the respondents in a 2007 survey of 18,000 people said that they had put off or gone without needed medical treatment at some point in the previous year, up from 14% in a 2003 survey.

Not surprisingly, the uninsured were the highest percentage of people that delayed or went without health care, but the biggest rate of increase in the report was among people who had health insurance. Seventeen percent of insured respondents said that they had foregone or delayed health care in 2007, which was up from 11% in the 2003 poll. Among residents who said they had delayed or forgone necessary medical care in 2007, 69 percent cited cost concerns as a reason.

"The findings send a clear message that we are heading down the wrong path. The American health care system is broken, and with each passing year more Americans are falling behind when it comes to getting the medical care they need," said David C. Colby, Ph.D., vice president for research and evaluation at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation whom partly funded the report. "This is a national problem that demands national attention."

The Wall Street Journal reported on 65 year old Tom Wirt of Hutchinson, Minnesota who was told in 2005 that he needed surgery on his arthritic hip. Mr. Wirt, a small-business owner, decided to delay his surgery, and limp, until he was eligible for Medicare in fear that his share of the cost would add up to thousands of dollars.

The new report highlights the need for policymakers to act now. NSBA has shared our principles for health care reform with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and is advocating with them to embrace a broad health care reform agenda for the 111th Congress.

Click here to view the full report from the Center for Studying Health System Change.

Click here to read the Wall Street Journal article about Tom Wirt. (subscription required)