Missouri Foundation for Health released two reports that highlight significant challenges Missourians face in getting the care they need at a price they can afford. These findings, based on feedback from thousands of Missourians, underscore disparities in health care access and the impact of the high cost of health care.
The first report, Speak Up MO, focuses on Missourians’ experiences with their health and the health care system. The second report, Medical Debt in Missouri, is part of a larger project to develop policy solutions on this issue.
Health care access is not just a matter of public health—it’s a critical economic issue affecting Missouri families and communities. Despite ongoing efforts to expand access in the state, one in five Missourians reported being without health insurance at some point in the past year. Further, access to physical health care varies significantly across demographic groups. While 66 percent of respondents said it was “very” or “somewhat easy” to find physical health care, disparities persist. Women, LGBTQ+ Missourians, people living in rural areas, and people with disabilities reported more difficulty accessing care.
Affordability remains a significant hurdle. The high cost of insurance premiums, deductibles, and copays often puts care out of reach and stresses household budgets. Half of Missouri adults report having current medical debt or having had medical debt in the past five years. This is another issue that varies by demographics, with adults living in rural communities, Hispanic adults, those with a disability, and those without a college degree more likely to report having recent medical debt.
Having health insurance doesn’t always protect Missourians from financial strain when it comes to health care costs, highlighting a key disconnect between coverage and affordability. Alarmingly, 78 percent of those with medical debt had health insurance at the time they received medical care, yet still faced financial hardship. Even more concerning, more than four in 10 report they would not be able to pay off an unexpected medical bill of $500 right away.
In the Speak Up MO report, residents’ top responses identified several priorities for improving health, including expanding health care coverage or implementing universal health care, lowering health care costs, and addressing the cost of living. To address medical debt, Missourians strongly favor greater transparency, with 94 percent supporting policies that would require providers to clearly disclose pricing and available discount programs. Additionally, 88 percent support reforms that would limit how much hospitals can charge for certain services and 85 percent want to require providers to follow the same criteria for financial assistance programs.
Contact: Molly Crisp at 314.345-5579 or mcrisp@mffh.org