Households in Lower 1/5 Income Group Pay Average 34% of Income Toward Healthcare While Highest Income Group Pay 16% “Burden of Health Care Payments Is Greatest Among Americans with the Lowest Incomes Higher-income American households pay the most to finance the nation’s health care system, but the burden of payments as a share of income […]
Continue readingUnmet Need for Physician Services Has Shown No Improvement Since 1998
Despite Coverage Gains Since 1998, Most Measures of Unmet Need for Physician Services Have Shown No Improvement, and Financial Access to Physician Services has Decreased. “Importance Improvements in insurance coverage and access to care have resulted from the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, a focus on short-term pre- to post-ACA changes may distract attention from longer-term […]
Continue readingInpatient Hospital Prices Rose 42% Between 2007 and 2014
Inpatient Hospital Prices Rose 42% Between 2007 and 2014 “Abstract Evidence suggests that growth in providers’ prices drives growth in health care spending on the privately insured. However, existing work has not systematically differentiated between the growth rate of hospital prices and that of physician prices. We analyzed growth in both types of prices for […]
Continue readingU.S. Residents Pay $8,000/year “Poll Tax” for Healthcare
U.S. Residents Pay $8,000/year “Poll Tax” for Healthcare says Top Economist “SAN DIEGO — The United States’ sky-high health-care costs are so far above what people pay in other countries that they are the equivalent of a hefty tax, Princeton University economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton say. They are surprised Americans aren’t revolting against these taxes. “A few people […]
Continue readingA Record 25% of U.S. Residents Put Off Treatment for a Serious Medical Condition Due to Cost, Up from 19% in 2018
A Record 25% of U.S. Residents Put Off Treatment for a Serious Medical Condition Due to Cost, Up from 19% in 2018 “More Americans Delaying Medical Treatment Due to Cost STORY HIGHLIGHTS A third of U.S. adults say their family couldn’t afford care in past year One in four say care was deferred for a serious medical […]
Continue readingLow Income Workers Spend a Higher % of Income on Insurance for Less Coverage than Middle and High Income Workers
Low Income Workers Spend a Higher % of Income on Insurance for Less Coverage than Middle and High Income Workers “..But compared to middle and upper-income employees, low-income workers are often offered less robust coverage, get less employer help with their premiums, and must pay a greater share of their income toward health care costs. […]
Continue readingCost of Insurance Outpaced Increase in Incomes 2008-2018
Cost of Insurance Outpaced Increase in Incomes 2008-2018 “Added together, the total cost of premiums and potential spending on deductibles across single and family policies climbed to $7,388 in 2018 (Table 5). This ranged from a low of $5,815 in D.C. to a high of more than $8,000 in Arizona, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New […]
Continue readingChronic Illness Associated with Greater Odds of Medical Debt and Out-of-Pocket Costs
Chronic Illness Associated with Greater Odds of Medical Debt and Out-of-Pocket Costs “Findings showed that 1 to 3 chronic health conditions were associated with higher odds of having any OOPC [out-of-pocket costs] and 1 to 3 and 4 or more chronic health conditions were associated with higher odds of having any medical debt. For households […]
Continue readingFewer Adults Have Difficulty Paying Their Medical Bills, but the Improvement Has Stalled
Fewer Adults Have Difficulty Paying Their Medical Bills, but the Improvement Has Stalled “There was modest but significant improvement following the ACA’s coverage expansions in the proportion of all U.S. adults who reported having difficulty paying their medical bills or said they were paying off medical debt over time (Table 4). Federal surveys have found […]
Continue readingInadequate Coverage Is Associated with More Cost-Related Problems Getting Needed Care
Inadequate Coverage Is Associated with More Cost-Related Problems Getting Needed Care The lack of continued improvement in overall access to care nationally reflects the fact that coverage gains have plateaued, and underinsured rates have climbed. People who experience any time uninsured are more likely than any other group to delay getting care because of cost […]
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