Families with High Out-of-Pocket Health Services Expenditures Relative to Their Income

摘要

The report describes the characteristics of families which incurred out-of-pocket expenditures for personal health services at 5, 10, and 20 percent of their incomes in 1977. Families with a high ratio of out-of-pocket expenses to income were found disproportionately to be headed by someone under 18 or over 65 years of age, not employed, with lower income, and with large total out-of-pocket expenses for inpatient services. The findings suggest that two distinct types of families have out-of-pocket expenditures that are high in relation to their income: (1) families whose total health care bills are so large that in spite of good income and/or insurance coverage the uncovered portion is substantial; and (2) families for whom even relatively small out-of-pocket expenses consume a high proportion of their income due to a combination of low income and no or inadequate coverage (medically indigent).