National Healthcare Disparities Report - LDI Health Economist
National Healthcare Disparities Report - LDI Health Economist
National Healthcare Disparities Report - LDI Health Economist
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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