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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Reduce the proportion of people who can't get medical care when they need it — AHS‑04

Status: Improving

  
Improving
Learn more about our data release schedule

Most Recent Data:
6.8 percent (2023)

Target:
5.9 percent 1

Desired Direction:
Decrease desired

Baseline:
8.5 percent of persons were unable to obtain or delayed in obtaining necessary medical care due to cost in 2019 2

See detailed data for this objective

Reduce the proportion of people who can't get medical care when they need it

Target-Setting Method
Percentage point improvement

Data Source:  National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), CDC/NCHS

Learn more about data measurement for this objective

Summary

Delaying medical care can negatively impact health and increase the cost of care. People who can’t get the care they need may have more preventable complications, hospitalizations, emotional stress, and higher costs. Strategies to increase insurance coverage rates and improve health information technology may help reduce delays in care.

Topics:  Health Care Access and Quality, Health Care, Hospital and Emergency Services

Workgroup: Access to Health Services Workgroup

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1. Target has been revised. See Data Methodology and Measurement for more information.

2. Baseline has been revised. See Data Methodology and Measurement for more information.