Unforeseen Health Care Bills and Coverage Denials by Health Insurers in the U.S.

Commonwealth Fund August 1, 2024
Avni Gupta, Sara R. Collins, Shreya Roy, Relebohile Masitha

TOPLINES

Many insured, working-age Americans face widespread unexpected medical bills and coverage denials for doctor-recommended care

Challenging coverage denials and medical bills often works, but significant numbers of people are unaware of their right to do so

Americans are increasingly struggling to get their health insurance to work for them. High deductibles and copayments are causing nearly two of five working-age adults to delay visiting the doctor and filling prescriptions.¹ Those who do get care can become burdened by medical or dental debt, something almost one-third of working-age adults report experiencing.² Billing errors and denials of coverage by insurance companies may contribute to this problem. Media investigations have found that insurers are becoming increasingly adept in using technology to deny...

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