Problems Paying Medical Bills, by Disability Status: United States, 2023

In 2023, adults aged 18 and over with disabilities were more likely than those without to live in families that had had problems paying medical bills in the previous 12 months: 21.2 percent, against 9.6 percent. The same pattern held in every age group.

Percentage of adults in families having problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months, by disability status and age group, United States, 2023, with 95 percent confidence intervals. CDC.

How it was measured

• The data come from household interviews in the National Center for Health Statistics' 2023 National Health Interview Survey, a sample of the civilian, non-institutionalised U.S. population.
• Problems paying medical bills means answering yes to whether, in the past 12 months, anyone in the family had problems paying, or could not pay, any medical bills — including bills for doctors, dentists, hospitals, therapists, medication, equipment, nursing homes or home care.
• Disability means answering "a lot of difficulty" or "cannot do at all" to any of the six questions of the Washington Group Short Set on Functioning: seeing, hearing, walking or climbing steps, communicating, remembering or concentrating, and self-care.

Sources

• Natalie A.E. Young, Julie D. Weeks and Nazik Elgaddal, "QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years Who Were in Families Having Problems Paying Medical Bills in the Past 12 Months, by Disability Status and Age Group — United States, 2023," Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7343a6.htm
• National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm