Adult women have delayed needed care due to cost

Nearly one-third of women say healthcare costs has forced them to make difficult trade-offs, according to the latest KFF Women’s Health Survey. The survey found that 32% of women have skipped filling a needed prescription and 25% have spent less on essentials such as food and electricity to afford care. Women in fair or poor health were more likely to delay care because of cost, with more than half reporting that they had done so. Although Medicaid-covered women delayed less care because of cost than uninsured women and those with individual or employer-sponsored coverage, nearly one-fifth of women reported being currently or previously uninsured. Delayed care can increase the complexity and cost of treatment, worsen outcomes, and make it more difficult for hospitals and health systems to manage patients effectively.