As North Carolina prepares to roll out a program aimed at easing the burden of medical debt, a new survey on North Carolina's health care cost burden from four universities reveals that many North Carolina families are feeling the strain of rising health care costs.

The survey of 601 adults from across the state shows that nearly two-thirds (61 percent) find it somewhat or very difficult to afford health care costs, with about 1 in 5 describing it as “very difficult.”

The survey also found:

  • Almost three out of four North Carolinians are worried about being able to afford a surprise medical bill, with 36 percent saying they were “very concerned.”
  • Nearly one in three respondents (32 percent) said they have had to put health care costs on a credit card because they couldn’t afford to pay the bill outright.

Those financial worries can have real-world impacts, prompting families to skip or delay seeking health care they need because of the cost — a choice that can lead to more serious health issues as little problems grow into larger ones.

David Lazer, a political science and computer sciences professor at Northeastern University who directed the survey, said the high level of financial insecurity revealed by the survey related to health care costs was “stunning.”

“It highlights that although the economy, by many metrics, is doing very, very well, most people are vulnerable to unexpected bills, and health care is probably the biggest single source of unexpected bills,” he said.

He added that the same survey found that the economy, inflation and health care are the three issues North Carolinians consider most important in today’s election.

The universities’ survey also asked about errors on medical bills.

About 43 percent of respondents said they have received a medical or dental bill they thought contained an error.

Of those, about 9 out of 10 said they disputed the bill, according to the survey — 50 percent disputed it with a medical provider, and 44 percent disputed it with an insurance company. More than three-quarters (78 percent) said they were able to resolve the issue in their favor.

Read the full article about North Carolina's health care cost burden by Michelle Crouch and Charlotte Ledger at North Carolina Health News.