One-in-5 U.S. adults have trouble paying medical bills

ATLANTA, June 5 (UPI) -- One-in-5 U.S. adults have trouble paying medical bills, but it dropped from 21.7 percent in the first half of 2011 to 20.3 percent in 2012, officials say.

The report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics also found also found within each six month period from January 2011 through June 2012, children ages 0-17 were more likely than adults age 18-64 to be in families having problems paying medical bills.

Medical bills were defined as bills for doctors, dentists, hospitals, therapists, medication, equipment, nursing home or home care.

Among children ages 0-17, the percentage of those who were in families having problems paying medical bills decreased from 23.7 percent in the first six months of 2011 to 21.8 percent in the first six months of 2012.

Among adults aged 18-64 years, the percentage in families having problems paying medical bills decreased from 20.9 percent in the first six months of 2011 to 19.7 percent in the first six months of 2012, the report said.

During January 2011-June 2012, people age 65 and younger who were uninsured and those who had public coverage were about twice as likely as those who had private coverage to be in families having problems paying medical bills.

The report is available at www.cdc.gov/nchs.