Health Care Affordability and Medical Debt: Differences by Rurality, Region, and Socio-Demographic Characteristics

Among key findings in this policy brief from the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center:

  • Health care affordability and medical debt issues differed significantly among rural residents by race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, income, and type of health insurance.
  • Rural residents in the Western U.S. were more likely to be able to pay their medical bills than rural residents in the Northeast, North Central/Midwest, or Southern U.S.