Middle-class Americans getting crushed by rising health insurance costs

So when she went to the doctor this spring with what she thought was a slight thyroid issue, and instead received a stage IV cancer recurrence diagnosis, she was terrified.Almost as scary was Macon's subsequent discovery: Her out-of-network deductible was $4,000.

Combined with the more than $1,000 Macon already paid in premiums last year, she joined the ranks of Americans paying more than 10% of her income for health insurance. Median household income in the United States between 2008 and 2018 grew 1.9% per year on average, rising from $53,000 to $64,202. "The most cost-burdened families live in southern states," said Sara Collins, lead author of the new report and vice president for health care coverage, access and tracking at The Commonwealth Fund.

"High deductibles can act as a financial barrier to care, discouraging people with modest incomes from getting services," Collins said. By June, she was out of money, and her sister started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover her medical expenses. Crowdfunding campaigns to cover health care expenses have increased in popularity as many have struggled with the rising costs. Like many others, Macon's unfortunately has yet to reach its goal.

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