22% of Americans surveyed cut visits to doctor

San Francisco Chronicle, August 13, 2008

Nearly a quarter of Americans have reduced the number of times they see their doctor because they want to save money in these tough economic times, according to a survey released by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Eleven percent of those surveyed also said they had cut back the number of prescription drugs they take or the dosage of those medications to make the prescription last longer and save money. In response to the survey, some physicians noted an increase in such behaviors by their patients and were concerned about potential health consequences.