By CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Increasingly young Americans can no longer afford to get sick.
A new report shows that millions of young adults are skipping necessary care because of rising health care costs.
The survey put out by Commonwealth Fund shows 41% of those between 19 and 29-years-old failed to get medical care because it's too expensive. When it comes to uninsured adults, that number jumps to 60%.
There a lot of implications to this - none of them good.
Young adults are not filling prescriptions, not getting recommended tests or treatments, avoiding doctor visits and not seeking specialist care they need.
Doctors say young adults often stop listening to medical advice once they hear how much treatment it will cost.
And those who actually do decide to get medical care wind up with loads of debt.
36% of young adults had problems paying off their medical bills - or paid the bills over time.
Some young people say they've used up all their savings to pay medical bills. Others have taken on credit card debt or have been unable to pay off student loans.
Still others say they've put off education or career plans because of medical money issues; or they say they haven't been able to pay for things like food or rent.
Experts say growing medical debt is in part due to "the tremendous cost shift" to patients because of high-deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance.
The Commonwealth Fund says that President Obama's health care law has helped more young adults get insurance because they can stay on their parents' plans until 26.
But if the Supreme Court strikes down Obamacare - and we'll know soon enough - young Americans might face even more medical troubles.
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Lisa in Connecticut:
As someone who just got an appalling bill for $25,000 for an approximately 1 hour procedure to break up a kidney stone, I can see how people forgo treatment because of cost.
Bob in Ohio:
The young are caught in the same dilemma as the old. The old choose between food, pills and utilities. I’m guessing the young are juggling a student loan, a mortgage and raising children. The cost of health care pays for utilities and food for a month.
Greg in Bremerton, Washington:
Quite frankly, tough bounce for these young spoiled youth. They seem to have plenty of money to party, vacation, and ask their parents and grandparents to foot the bill while attending college. So, they can just get off their duffs and get responsible. I don't care about their future until they begin to care and plan appropriately themselves.
Oliver in El Paso, Texas:
Congress better start thinking about how to help the poor people in this country. These young people will have serous medical problems down the road through no fault of their own.
Judi in Virginia Beach:
I'll tell you what it means, Jack. It means they will be staying home with Mom & Dad even longer! I have a 26-year-old and a 29 year-old, both with college degrees living at home because they can't get a job and can't afford to live on their own. They are working at low wage jobs (waiting tables, etc) and can only afford their car payments and student loan payments. My husband is retired and we still have kids at home! This isn't the American Dream any of us dreamed about.
Boomer in Missouri:
A co-worker nearly died of pneumonia because he didn’t want to pay the deductible to go to the doctor.