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62% of Americans would go broke if they got seriously sick |
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62% of Americans would go broke if they got seriously sick - 2.18.2008 [more ]
62% of Americans agree
that either they or their family would face a financial hardship if
they experienced a serious illness. Women (66%) and lower income
families earning less than $30,000 (73%) are even more likely to feel
this way. If hit with medical bills greater than $1,000, nearly half
(49%) of Americans say they would tap savings or checking accounts to
pay their debts. Those with less income, however, were far less likely
to see savings as a choice for health care debt. 38% would resort to
some form of borrowing to pay medical debts, either through an
installment payment plan (10%), a credit card (9%), borrowing from
friends or relatives (8%), a short-term loan from a bank or credit
union (8%) or borrowing from 401(k) retirement accounts (3%). 3% say
their health insurance would fully cover a sudden $1,000 medical bill.
40% of Americans say they know the amount; 50% admit not knowing and
the rest weren’t sure or declined to answer.
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