The Harvard School of Public Health released a report along with NPR and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which showed that many sick or injured Americans are either not able to afford care or aren't receiving the proper care.

More than two in five sick or injured Americans noted their medical costs have been high enough to make them seriously worry about their finances, the report explained. Close to 20 percent were unable to get medical care that was needed during the past year. Of those unable to receive care they needed, more than half said it was because of the costs.

"The rising cost of medical care affects everyone, but people who have been unwell know firsthand that an illness or injury can mean financial hardship or ruin," said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "These findings confirm how thinly individuals and families have been stretched."

If a person is ill and does not have a health insurance policy that helps cover certain ailments, it may benefit them to search for other options. This could include comparing health insurance rates, as some may be more affordable than others.