Report · Health

A third of Americans spent under $100 out of pocket on healthcare last year

Reading

Out-of-pocket medical costs stay modest for most Americans: 33% spent less than $100 in the last year, and a slim majority (56%) spent under $500 in total, according to a November 2024 Verasight survey.

Spending climbs from there: 16% paid between $500 and $1,000, 15% between $1,000 and $2,500, and 8% between $2,500 and $5,000. Only about one-in-twenty spent $5,000 or more (4% from $5,000 to $9,000, plus 1% at $9,000 or above).

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

A third of Americans spent under $100 out of pocket on healthcare last year.

In the last year, how much out of pocket money have you spent on health care, including services that were not covered by insurance?

  • Less than $100 33.0%
  • At least $100 but less than $500 23.3%
  • At least $500 but less than $1000 16.2%
  • At least $1000 but less than $2500 15.0%
  • At least $2500 but less than $5000 7.8%
  • At least $5000 but less than $9000 3.5%
  • $9000 or more 1.2%

2024 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.4%

Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2024-11-19 → 2024-11-22
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.4%
Module
A

Source

Citation

Verasight APHA Omnibus Survey #2024-122, fielded November 19-22, 2024, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.4%.

https://verasight-apha-2024.tiiny.co

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.