24.12.2014 Views

National Healthcare Disparities Report - LDI Health Economist

National Healthcare Disparities Report - LDI Health Economist

National Healthcare Disparities Report - LDI Health Economist

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Access to <strong>Health</strong> Care<br />

Financial Burden of <strong>Health</strong> Care Costs<br />

<strong>Health</strong> insurance is supposed to protect individuals from the burden of high health care costs. However, even<br />

with health insurance, the financial burden for health care can still be high and is increasing (Banthin &<br />

Bernard, 2006). High premiums and out-of-pocket payments can be a significant barrier to accessing needed<br />

medical treatment and preventive care (Alexander, et al., 2003). According to one study, uninsured families<br />

can afford to pay for only 12% of hospitalizations that they experience (HHS, 2011). One way to assess the<br />

extent of financial burden is to determine the percentage of family income spent on a family’s health<br />

insurance premium and out-of-pocket medical expenses.<br />

Chapter 9<br />

Figure 9.6. People under age 65 whose family’s health insurance premium and out-of-pocket medical<br />

expenses were more than 10% of total family income, by race, ethnicity, and family income, 2008<br />

35<br />

30<br />

Percent<br />

25<br />

20<br />

15<br />

10<br />

5<br />

0<br />

Total<br />

White<br />

Black<br />

AI/AN<br />

Asian<br />

>1 Race<br />

Non-Hispanic White<br />

Hispanic<br />

Poor<br />

Low Income<br />

Middle Income<br />

High Income<br />

Key: AI/AN = American Indian or<br />

Alaska Native.<br />

Source: Agency for <strong><strong>Health</strong>care</strong><br />

Research and Quality, Medical<br />

Expenditure Panel Survey, 2008.<br />

Denominator: Civilian<br />

noninstitutionalized population under<br />

65.<br />

Note: Total financial burden includes<br />

premiums and out-of-pocket costs for<br />

health care services. Data do not<br />

meet the criteria for statistical<br />

reliability, data quality, or<br />

confidentiality for Native Hawaiians<br />

and Other Pacific Islanders.<br />

n Overall, in 2008, 17% of people under age 65 had health insurance premium and out-of-pocket<br />

medical expenses that were more than 10% of total family income (Figure 9.6).<br />

n In 2008, the percentage of people under age 65 whose family’s health insurance premium and out-ofpocket<br />

medical expenses were more than 10% of total family income was lower for Blacks than for<br />

Whites (15% compared with 18%). The percentage was also lower for Hispanics than for non-<br />

Hispanic Whites (14% compared with 19%).<br />

n The percentage of people under age 65 whose family’s health insurance premium and out-of-pocket<br />

medical expenses were more than 10% of total family income was more than four times as high for<br />

poor individuals (29%), more than three times as high for low-income individuals (25%), and more<br />

than twice as high for middle-income individuals (20%) compared with high-income individuals<br />

(7%).<br />

Also, in the NHQR:<br />

n The percentage of people under age 65 whose family’s health insurance premium and out-of-pocket<br />

medical expenses were more than 10% of total family income was nearly three times as high for<br />

226 <strong>National</strong> <strong><strong>Health</strong>care</strong> <strong>Disparities</strong> <strong>Report</strong>, 2011

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!