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Cutting where it counts

Posted by: Ella Hushagen on Oct 28, 2008

Recently we've heard a lot from politicians that we've been spending beyond our means, that we must scale back and tighten our belts. Fair enough in theory, but do working Americans even have pudge to trim in their budgets? 

Well, certainly people are trying to cut back. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that Americans are avoiding doctor-recommended health care services because of the cost.

Nearly half (47 percent) of Americans report someone in their household ... skipping necessary health care in the past year because of the cost. Specifically, just over one-third say they put off or postponed needed care and three in ten say they skipped a recommended test or treatment.... Roughly one in four say they did not fill a prescription, and only slightly fewer say they cut pills or skipped doses.

Cutting down on health care has many implications - not least of which are the dangers associated with forgoing medical treatment early on that could help prevent chronic, and costly, illnesses down the road. But it's no wonder Americans are reluctant to go to the doctor when money is tight: The same survey found that about a third of families have had problems paying medical bills in the past year. And these are not trivial bills, most amounting to thousands of dollars.

Families USA reported that about 61.6 million Americans are in families that spend more than 10% of their pre-tax income on health care costs. For a family of four earning $60,000 a year, spending that much on health care leaves them with a $3,000 deficit after paying for other necessities, such as housing, utilities, gas, transportation, food, and education. While research has clearly shown that avoiding needed medical care is harmful to your health, there's just no room in the budget for huge, unanticipated medical bills.

It's clear that American families' needs overwhelm their means. As far as family budgets are concerned, you can't pinch an inch. Skimping on needed health care services in an old-fashioned belt-tightening effort is not good for the long-term health of our citizens or our country.