At a health-screening event in Sarasota, Florida, people gathered in a parking lot and waited their turn for blood pressure or diabetes checks. The event was held in Sarasota鈥檚 Newtown neighborhood, a historically Black community. Local Tracy Green, 54, joined the line outside a pink-and-white bus that offered free mammograms.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a blessing because some people, like me, are not fortunate, and so this is what I needed,鈥� she said.
Green wanted the exam because cancer runs in her family. And she shared another health worry: Her large breasts cause her severe back pain. A doctor once recommended she get reduction surgery, but she鈥檚 uninsured and said she can鈥檛 afford the procedure.
In a 2022 , 38% of American adults surveyed said they had put off medical treatment within the previous year due to cost, up from 26% in 2021. The new figure is the highest since Gallup started tracking the issue in 2001. In a survey by 麻豆女优 released last summer, 43% of respondents said they or a family member delayed or put off health care because of costs. It found people were most likely to delay dental care, followed by vision services and doctor鈥檚 office visits. Many didn鈥檛 take medications as prescribed.
The Newtown screening event 鈥� organized by the nonprofit in partnership with a local hospital and other health care providers 鈥� is part of an effort to fill the coverage gap for low-income people.
Green explained that her teeth are in bad shape but dental care will also have to wait. She lacks health insurance and a stable job. When she can, she finds occasional work as a day laborer through a local temp office.
鈥淚 only make like $60 or $70-something a day. You know that ain鈥檛 making no money,鈥� said Green. 鈥淎nd some days you go in and they don鈥檛 have work.鈥�
If she lived in another state, Green might be able to enroll in Medicaid. But Florida is one of that haven鈥檛 expanded the federal-state health insurance program to cover more working-age adults. With rent and other bills to pay, Green said, her health is taking a back seat.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 have money to go to the dentist, nothing,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so expensive. Now, to get one extraction, one tooth pulled, it鈥檚 like $200-$300 that you don鈥檛 have. So I don鈥檛 know what to do. It鈥檚 like fighting a losing battle right now.鈥�
In the 麻豆女优 poll, 85% of uninsured adults under age 65 said they found it difficult to pay for health care. Nearly half of their insured counterparts said they struggled with affordability as well.
The U.S. inflation rate hit a four-decade peak last year, and parts of Florida, including the Tampa metro area, .
鈥淲e see an increasing desperation,鈥� said , executive director of the Multicultural Health Institute.
The nonprofit, which helps people access low-cost care, is based in Newtown, where, inland from Sarasota鈥檚 lavish beach communities, many residents live below the poverty line, lack insurance, and face other barriers to consistent and affordable care.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very difficult for people to be concerned about abstract things like getting screenings, getting regular health maintenance, when they鈥檙e contending with the challenges of basic survival: food, shelter, transportation often,鈥� Merritt said.
Merritt and her team of volunteers work to build trust with residents who may not be aware that support is available. They help people apply for low-cost insurance coverage, free medication programs, and other resources that can reduce treatment costs. Volunteer Bonnie Hardy said the people she serves have many financial worries, but one thing tops the list.
鈥淩ight now? A place to stay,鈥� said Hardy. 鈥淗ousing is horrible.鈥�
High housing costs have started to ease in recent months, but rent in Sarasota has risen nearly 47% since the pandemic began in 2020. Hardy helps people find housing and connects them with programs that cover costs like utilities and security deposits. The goal is to stabilize their lives, and she said that can improve health.
鈥淏ecause they鈥檙e more comfortable now,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey feel like, hey, the rent is paid, I can let my guard down, maybe I can go get the medical attention I need.鈥�
Research shows can lead to bigger problems. The Gallup Poll found 27% of respondents delayed treatment due to costs even for 鈥渧ery or somewhat serious鈥� conditions.
Some people may be holding off on treating medical issues because of health care debt. An investigation from NPR and KHN found about 100 million people in America had medical debt. About 1 in 8 of them owe more than $10,000, according to a 麻豆女优 poll.
Treating cancer or chronic conditions like diabetes early can save lives and be than treating advanced-stage illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Doctors at the health screening event in Newtown said it鈥檚 critical to help residents obtain preventive care. At the health fair, substitute teacher Crystal Clyburn, 51, got a mammogram on the mammography bus and had her blood pressure checked.
Clyburn doesn鈥檛 have health insurance and said she relies on free events to stay on top of her health.
鈥淚 just try to take advantage of whatever that鈥檚 out there, whatever that鈥檚 free,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou have to take care of yourself because you can look healthy and not even know you鈥檙e sick.鈥�
After the cuff came off, a doctor told Clyburn her blood pressure was a little high but not high enough that she needed to take medication. Clyburn smiled, thanked him, and left relieved to know that the cost of prescription drugs was one expense she wouldn鈥檛 have to worry about.
This article is from a partnership that includes , , and .