b'Millions of Americans Struggle to Afford Health Care.The HealthWell Foundation Provides a Lifeline.Health care costs in the United States have grown faster than inflation, making it difficult for many Americanseven those with insuranceto afford medical care and drugs .1NearlyOlder Adults Face the Biggest Declinein Health Care Affordability half A growing share of adults struggle to cover medical bills, with people aged 50 and older seeing the sharpest decline in affordability. The percentage of of U.S. adults struggle to cover all U.S. adults who can readily afford quality care has decreased since 2022, to 55%. Steeper declines were reported both for people aged 50 to 64 and the cost of prescription drugs those 65 and older.2and doctor visits. 2Younger people also may be in a precarious financial position when it comes to medical bills. One out of 10 people aged 18 to 49 is considered cost desperatemeaning they cannot pay for care or medicine and lack 1 in 4 immediate access to quality care.2adults has skipped or postponedHigh Health Care Costs Have Consequences getting health care they neededWhen health care is unaffordable, some are forced to delay or even forgo because of the cost. 1 critical medical care. About one in five adults say they have not filled a prescription because of the cost, and about one in ten say they have cut pills in half or skipped doses of medicine because of the cost.1 The repercussions can be profound. Two in five working-age adults who report a cost-related delay in their care say a health problem had worsened because of it.323% For those who manage to access care, the resulting medical debt can be financially toxic. For example, half of all people in the cost desperate category have cut back on food to pay for health care, while more than one in three have cut back on utilities.2 Forty-one percent of working-age adults with of adults who have healthmedical debt use up all or part of their savings to recover.coverage are underinsured. 3Even People with Insurance FaceAffordability Challenges3 in 10 Even people with private health insurance through their employers may be exposed to high deductibles and affordability challenges. About 4 in 10 people with chronic health insured adults worry about affording their monthly health insurance premium, and 48% worry about affording their deductible before health insurance problems do not fill a prescription kicks in. A substantial share of Americans do not have enough savings or for their condition because of cost. 3 other liquid assets to afford the deductible or annual out-of-pocket maximum common in private health plans.1The HealthWell Foundation has helped to ease the high cost burden of health 1Kaiser Family Foundation care for over 1 million people since our inception. Our medication copayment 2West Health-Gallup Healthcare Affordability Index and insurance premium assistance programs provide access to life-changing, 3Commonwealth Fund often lifesaving, treatments for patients who have nowhere else to turn. PAGE 2 HEALTHWELL FOUNDATION 2024 ANNUAL REPORT'