Medical Debt Drives Deferred Healthcare, Especially Dental and Mental Health Services

Medical debt is a significant barrier to healthcare access in the United States, leading many individuals to postpone or forgo necessary medical, dental, and mental health services. A recent study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine highlights the extent of this issue, revealing a strong association between medical debt and deferred care, particularly for dental treatments.

Prevalence of Medical Debt

The study, conducted by researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, found that 10.7% of U.S. Adults reported having past-year medical debt in 2023. This burden is disproportionately high among those without health insurance (19.5%), individuals with Medicaid (12.6%), and those with commercial or Medicare insurance (9.3% and 8.1%, respectively) .

Impact on Healthcare Access

Medical debt significantly increases the likelihood of delaying or skipping healthcare. Specifically, individuals with medical debt were:

• 24.6 percentage points more likely to defer dental care.
• 17.6 percentage points more likely to defer medical care.
• 9.3 percentage points more likely to defer mental health care.

The association between medical debt and deferred medical care was particularly pronounced among uninsured adults, with a 32.5 percentage point increase in deferred care compared to 16.9 percentage points among those with commercial insurance .

Mental Health and Medical Debt

Research also demonstrates a strong link between medical debt and mental health challenges. A study published in PubMed found that individuals with depression and anxiety are more likely to accumulate medical debt, and this debt, in turn, is associated with delayed mental health care . Specifically, adults with current depression had a 27.3% rate of medical debt compared to 9.4% of those without depression, while those with current anxiety had a 26.2% rate compared to 9.6% .

The Role of Dental Care

The study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine underscores that dental care is the most frequently deferred service among those with medical debt. This finding aligns with other research indicating that dental care is often considered non-essential, leading individuals to prioritize other healthcare needs when facing financial constraints .

Expert Perspective

Kyle J. Moon, a researcher from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, emphasizes the demand for policies addressing affordability and the broader consequences of medical debt. “Policies that address affordability and the cascading toll of medical debt are critical to mitigating the health and economic impact of deferred care,” Moon stated .

Looking Ahead

Addressing medical debt and its impact on healthcare access requires comprehensive solutions, including policies aimed at reducing healthcare costs, expanding insurance coverage, and providing financial assistance to those burdened by medical bills. Further research is needed to fully understand the long-term health consequences of deferred care due to medical debt.