Millions of Americans are skipping meals or cutting back on utilities to afford health care

Forgoing food. Cutting back on utilities. Driving less. Borrowing money.

These are the sacrifices that tens of millions of people are making to afford their health care expenses, according to a West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America survey released Thursday.

Roughly one-third of respondents – equivalent to more than 82 million Americans – said they have had to cut back on at least one daily living expense to cover their health care bills, according to the survey of nearly 20,000 adults, which was conducted from June through August.