21% of Americans scramble to pay medical, drug bills

Millions of Americans struggled last year to pay for healthcare or medications, the largest poll ever conducted by Gallup shows. As the economy fell, the percentage who reported having trouble paying for needed healthcare or medicines during the previous 12 months rose from 18% in January 2008 to 21% in December, according to the poll of 355,334 Americans. Each percentage point change in the full survey represents about 2.2 million people, says Jim Harter, Gallup's chief scientist for well-being and workplace management.