• Posted December 4, 2024

American Seniors Struggle to Pay Medical Bills More Than Peers in Other Wealthy Countries

American seniors still pay more for health care than their counterparts in most other wealthy countries do, despite coverage by Medicare, a new study finds.

They are also more likely to postpone or skip needed care because of cost concerns.

“In the U.S., nearly all older adults are covered by Medicare and can access, at minimum, the most basic health services,” concluded the report from the non-profit Commonwealth Fund. “Still, our survey data shows the U.S. Medicare program could improve and be on par with other countries -- in some countries, nearly no older adults report cost-related access issues.”

Nearly 1 in 4 American seniors spent at least $2,000 out of pocket on health care last year, according to results from the 2024 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey of Older Adults.

By comparison, fewer than 5% of older adults in France or the Netherlands spent that much, researchers said.

Out of the other wealthy countries surveyed -- Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom -- only in Switzerland did seniors spend more on their health care.

The survey also found that 8% of Americans on traditional Medicare and 9% of Americans with Medicare Advantage skipped needed health care because of cost concerns.

Australia (8%) and Switzerland (7%) were the closest to the United States in terms of seniors foregoing needed treatment. Only 2% of seniors in Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands and the U.K. skipped health care due to cost concerns.

U.S. seniors also were more likely to not see a doctor for a health problem or not have a prescription filled because of the cost, results show.

Finally, at least 1 in 5 seniors in the United States, Canada and Australia skipped dental care because of the cost, the survey found. By comparison, 5% or fewer of seniors in the Netherlands or Germany forewent dental care.

“When older people can’t afford the health care they need, it impacts the health system overall: beneficiaries avoid getting care, their health providers end up seeing sicker patients, and federal Medicare spending increases over the long term,” concluded the team led by Munira Gunja, a senior researcher with the Commonwealth Fund.

“It is no surprise then that older Americans who have financial barriers to getting care are also more likely to report poorer health than those without these same barriers,” the report added.

The survey was conducted between Feb. 29 and June 20, and involved 16,737 interviews of seniors 65 and older.

More information

Gallup has more on health spending among U.S. seniors.

SOURCE: Commonwealth Fund, news release, Dec. 4, 2024