How many Americans don't have access to a hospital?

Asked by: Libby Cartwright DDS  |  Last update: September 6, 2023
Score: 4.4/5 (59 votes)

A recent study estimates that nearly 30 million Americans don't live within an hour of trauma care. And a CNN analysis found that residents living in 16% of the mainland United States are 30 miles or more away from the nearest hospital. Dr.

How many people are unable to access healthcare?

The number of uninsured individuals remains well below levels prior to enactment of the ACA. The number of uninsured nonelderly individuals dropped from more than 46.5 million in 2010 to fewer than 26.7 million in 2016, climbed to 28.9 million individuals in 2019 before dropping again to 27.5 million in 2021.

What percentage of Americans go to the hospital?

The age-adjusted percentage of people aged 1–64 with a hospital stay in the past year decreased from 5.9% in 2009 to 5.1% in 2014 and then did not change significantly through 2018. In 2019, the age-adjusted percentage of people aged 1–64 with a hospital visit in the past year was 5.9%.

Do all Americans have access to healthcare?

There is no universal healthcare.

The U.S. government does not provide health benefits to citizens or visitors. Any time you get medical care, someone has to pay for it.

Why is healthcare so inaccessible?

High out-of-pocket costs, even for patients with insurance, are a huge barrier to accessing health care. When people must choose between paying for food and rent or paying for health care, many forgo health care. It's an unacceptable choice disproportionately forced onto people from low-income families.

The real reason American health care is so expensive

18 related questions found

What percent of Americans can't access healthcare?

In 2021, as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continued, 27 million people — or 8.3 percent of the population — were uninsured, according to a report from the Census Bureau.

What percent of Americans don't have access to healthcare?

Results—In 2020, 31.6 million (9.7%) people of all ages were uninsured at the time of the interview. This includes 31.2 million (11.5%) people under age 65. Among children, 3.7 million (5.0%) were uninsured, and among working-age adults (aged 18–64), 27.5 million (13.9%) were uninsured.

What is the lack of accessibility to healthcare in the United States?

About 1 in 10 people in the United States don't have health insurance. People without insurance are less likely to have a primary care provider, and they may not be able to afford the health care services and medications they need.

Why is it hard to get healthcare in America?

After years of poor funding and a deluge of demand since the pandemic began, providers are in short supply. Scarcity is coupled with barriers imposed by insurance networks.

What are the 7 health disparities?

Health and health care disparities are often viewed through the lens of race and ethnicity, but they occur across a broad range of dimensions. For example, disparities occur across socioeconomic status, age, geography, language, gender, disability status, citizenship status, and sexual identity and orientation.

How many people struggle to pay for healthcare in the US?

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mar. 31, 2022 — An estimated 112 million (44%) American adults are struggling to pay for healthcare, and more than double that number (93%) feel that what they do pay is not worth the cost.

What is the number one cause of hospitalization?

The most frequent principal diagnoses for hospitalizations in the United States in 2018 were septicemia, heart failure, osteoarthritis, pneumonia (except that caused by tuberculosis), and diabetes mellitus with complication.

How many Americans go to the ER every year?

According to the CDC, nearly 136 million patients visit emergency rooms in the United States per year, with around 30 percent of those visits relating to injuries. If you've ever been curious about just how many patients your local emergency room cares for, you're in luck.

Who has the least access to healthcare?

Coverage by Race and Ethnicity as of 2021

Nonelderly AIAN and Hispanic people had the highest uninsured rates at 21.2% and 19.0%, respectively as of 2021. Uninsured rates for nonelderly NHOPI and Black people (10.8 and 10.9%, respectively) also were higher than the rate for their White counterparts (7.2%).

Why is lack of access to healthcare bad?

Lack of health insurance coverage may negatively affect health. Uninsured adults are less likely to receive preventive services for chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

Do poor people have less access to healthcare?

Poverty plays a vital role in patient experience, hindering adequate access to health care and resources. In low-income areas, methods of transportation may be unreliable and impede a patient's ability to attend medical appointments.

What is the biggest problem with the US healthcare system?

1. The High Cost of Health Care. The problem: Perhaps the most pressing issue in health care currently is the high cost of care. More than 45% of American adults say it's difficult to afford health care, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation, and more than 40% have medical debt.

Is US healthcare worse than other countries?

However, despite higher healthcare spending, America's health outcomes are not any better than those in other developed countries. The United States actually performs worse in some common health metrics like life expectancy, infant mortality, and unmanaged diabetes.

Is the US #1 in healthcare?

Despite having the most expensive health care system, the United States ranks last overall compared with six other industrialized countries—Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom—on measures of quality, efficiency, access to care, equity, and the ability to lead long, healthy, ...

What is considered one of the largest barriers to healthcare access in the US?

The prohibitive cost of medical care is, and has been, the number one barrier for individuals and families. According to the KFF, nearly half of U.S. adults report having difficulty affording health care costs. - Health insurance. Unequal access to insurance is a major contributor to health disparities.

What are four main healthcare problems in America?

8 Major Problems With the U.S. Healthcare System
  • Preventable Medical Errors. ...
  • Poor Amenable Mortality Rates. ...
  • Lack of Transparency. ...
  • Difficulty Finding a Good Doctor.

Does America have a health care problem?

Yet the U.S. is the only country that doesn't have universal health coverage. The U.S. has the lowest life expectancy at birth, the highest death rates for avoidable or treatable conditions, the highest maternal and infant mortality, and among the highest suicide rates.

How many Americans are uninsured in 2023?

Plus Over 11 Health Insurance Statistics For Jul 2023! Approximately 30 million people in the United States are uninsured and at risk of financial ruin if they become ill or injured. Even worse, there are approximately 9 million children in the country who lack proper healthcare coverage.

What state has the highest number of uninsured people?

Texas was the state with the highest percentage of uninsured among its population, while Massachusetts reported the lowest share of uninsured This statistic presents the percentage of the total population in the United States without health insurance in 2021, by state.

What percentage of the world has no access to healthcare?

Half Of World Population Goes Without Basic, Essential Health Services, World Bank/WHO Report Says.