People unable to afford to see a doctor may not receive the proper medical services when they need them. This can lead to missed diagnosis, untreated conditions, and adverse health outcomes. People who cannot afford to see a doctor are less likely to get routine checkups and screenings. When they become ill, they generally delay seeking treatment until the condition is more advanced and therefore more difficult and costly to treat. Maintaining regular contact with a health care provider is especially difficult for low income people who are less likely to have health insurance. This often results in emergency room visits, which raises overall costs and lessens the continuity of care.

This indicator shows the percentage of adults that report having a time in the past 12 months when they were unable to afford to see a doctor.