HEALTHCARE PAYMENTS

Patients’ out-of-pocket medical expenses exceed $63 billion annually, with about $8 billion of this total going unpaid each year. With the final bill for COVID-19 healthcare expenses yet to be tallied, PYMNTS sought to better understand how consumers pay their medical bills. This report surveys nearly 3,000 respondents who had checked into a hospital or visited an emergency room during the past year to provide clarity and understanding regarding how — and, in some cases, if — patients pay for medical treatments.

A collaboration with Flywire

SOME NOTABLE FINDINGS OUTLINED IN THE REPORT:

• 90.7 percent: Share of patients who say they can pay off their payment plans in full, either early or by following the plan schedule
• 89.8 percent: Portion of respondents who say they would be willing to consider using a payment plan in the future
• $758: The average out-of-pocket cost for patients who did not pay their debts and have no plans to do so