Given the new federal budget cuts, more affordable medical care for many Americans seems unlikely

Many Americans will pay more for health care in
the coming months. (Adobe Stock image)

Americans who hoped to see their medical costs decrease during the next four years are likely to be disappointed, as federal-level decisions aimed at cutting or reducing benefits take effect and other expenses are passed off to states and the public.

"Millions of people are expected to lose health insurance in the coming years as a result of the tax cut legislation, leaving them with fewer protections from large bills if they get sick or suffer an accident," reports Noam N. Levey of KFF Health News.

President Donald Trump "promised a rosier future while campaigning last year, pledging to 'make America affordable again' and 'expand access to new Affordable Healthcare,'" Levey writes. "Polls suggest voters were looking for relief."

People who purchase health insurance on state marketplaces can expect to see substantial increases over the next year, which may cause more people to drop coverage or opt for higher-deductible plans. Certain Medicaid enrollees may be required to cover copays up to $35.

For consumers who can’t pay their medical bills, there are fewer guardrails. Levey writes, "(In July), the Trump administration secured permission from a federal court to roll back regulations that would have removed medical debt from consumer credit reports."

Arika Sánchez, who oversees health care policy at the nonprofit New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, sees how negative credit report "dings" can hurt a family struggling to survive. She told Levey, "When families get stuck with medical debt, it hurts their credit scores, makes it harder to get a car, a home, or even a job. Medical debt wrecks people’s lives.”

Overall, medical debt is a national problem and not a partisan issue. "About 6 in 10 adults — Democrats and Republicans — say they are worried about being able to afford health care, according to one recent survey," Levey explains.