AAFP President Ted Epperly, MD, tells WebMD that angst has become pervasive “and so many people are trying to save,” which can be dangerous. “We’ve seen bad outcomes. I have personal knowledge of a 45-year-old male with underlying heart disease that he knew about [who] was also diabetic. Because he lost his health insurance when he lost his job, he stopped taking his diabetes medicine, it got out of control, he had a [ heart attack] and he died.

“We know of another gentleman with bipolar disease who stopped taking his antipsychotic to save money. He became manic, lost his job, his house, and then his family.”