A new Commonwealth Fund study finds that 21% of adults with health insurance spent 5% or more of their income on out-of pocket expenses and that 40% skipped medical treatment because of high deductibles.
A new Commonwealth Fund report finds that 21% of adults with health insurance spent 5% or more of their income on out-of pocket expenses, excluding premiums.
Another 13% spent 10% or more, and low-cost adults were the most likely to have high out-of-pocket costs.
In addition, 13% of people with private health insurance now have plans with a deductible that is equivalent to 5% or more of their income.
The report, Too High a Price: Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs in the United States, noted that rising deductibles and stagnant family income has led to underinsurance in some cases.
Results were based on a survey of 2,751 adults ages 19 to 64 about the costs of their health insurance.
Insured adults in fair or poor health or those who reported at least one chronic condition were more likely to spend a larger share of their income on medical expenses not covered by insurance.
Other findings: