Poll: Nearly 40 percent of Americans skipped or delayed medical care in 2022 over cost

A new Gallup poll released this week showed almost 40 percent of Americans delayed or skipped medical care in 2022 due to record-high inflation.

As inflation soared to a 40-year high last year, Americans felt the pinch at the gas pump, in the grocery store, and at the doctor’s office. The poll, published on Tuesday, revealed a whopping 38 percent of Americans could not find room in their budgets for medical care, and did not see doctors in 2022.

“The percentage of Americans reporting they or a family member postponed medical treatment in 2022 due to cost rose 12 points in one year, to 38%, the highest in Gallup’s 22-year trend,” the poll results read.

The poll results show that Americans chose to delay and skip medical care during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, with inflation causing tight budgets and fear of contracting the coronavirus keeping patients home from the doctor’s office.

During the height of COVID, the poll found 26 percent of Americans skipped medical care, drawing a stark comparison to 2022’s thirty-eight percent.

The results also showed a strong correlation between income levels and delaying medical care.

“In 2022, Americans with an annual household income under $40,000 were nearly twice as likely as those with an income of $100,000 or more to say someone in their family delayed medical care for a serious condition (34% vs. 18%, respectively),” wrote Gallup.

Those whose income fell between $40-100K reported similar rates of skipping care in 2022, at 29 percent.