For Immediate Release

For Immediate Release
Press Release
March 25, 2025

Media Contacts:

Consumers for Affordable Health Care

Ann Woloson, Executive Director

awoloson@mainecahc.org 207-458-0416

Survey Reveals Nearly Half of Maine Households Continue to Struggle with Medical Debt

A new survey shows nearly half of Maine households have incurred medical debt within the past two years. The data reveals that, while recent state and federal efforts to increase access to affordable health coverage have helped many Mainers, many still struggle with high health care costs and medical debt. Consumers for Affordable Health Care released the survey that was conducted from December 2024 through January 2025.

Key findings from the Examining Voter Views Towards Health Care in Maine, include:

Almost half of Maine households surveyed incurred medical debt in the past two years. A large majority – two out of three – had health insurance at the time.
Most Mainers with medical debt attribute it to a hospital service; nearly half report prescription drug costs were also implicated.
One in four Mainers surveyed have $5,000 or more in medical debt.
Half of Maine families report a negative impact on their credit scores due to medical debt; most say they had difficulty obtaining loans or employment as a result.
Two out of three families experienced adverse financial impacts because of medical bills. Most reported they struggled to pay for basic necessities including food, housing, or heat. They also reported being sent to or contacted by a collection agency.
Half of Maine families reported having a higher-than-expected copayment for a prescription drug. One out of three say they postponed filling or refilling a prescription, split pills in half, skipped doses of medicine, or did not fill a prescription at all due to cost.
Nearly half of those surveyed reported experiencing pain or discomfort longer than necessary due to medical costs.
Half of Mainers with commercial insurance experienced difficulty affording their deductibles; nearly as many struggled to pay their coinsurance, premiums, or copayments.
More than a quarter of Mainers with commercial coverage have had a claim denied by their insurance company.

"All Mainers deserve access to the health care they need without financial stress or worry,“ said Ann Woloson, Executive Director at Consumers for Affordable Health Care. “Too many Mainers are - not only losing sleep over the cost of health care - but facing significant financial burdens that affect their ability to put food on the table, obtain loans, or secure employment. Mainers should not have to experience pain or put off health care treatment due to costs.”

The new survey data also show roughly nine out of ten voters believe providing affordable, comprehensive health insurance to every Mainer should be a priority for Maine’s policymakers:

Nine out of ten support enforcing price transparency rules, limiting hospital charges, or addressing the rising costs of prescription drugs; two out of three strongly supporting such proposals.
Nearly as many – almost eight out of ten – support requiring hospitals to increase the amount of financial assistance they provide in Maine.
Nine out of ten Mainers support requiring health insurance companies to reduce deductibles or out-of-pocket plan costs.
At least eight out of ten Maine voters support continued funding for Maine’s Office of Affordable Health Care and Maine’s Health Insurance Consumer Assistance Program.

Mainers in need of health coverage or who have questions about their coverage can call Consumers for Affordable Health Care toll free at 1-800-965-7476.

1-800-965-7476

mainecahc.org

PO Box 2490
Augusta ME 04338

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Mainers Need Relief from High Health Care Costs