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Medical Expenses Burden the Oldest and Poorest

Wed, 03/08/2000 - 1:00am — Karen Stevenson
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A study done by Rutgers University, "Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs Among Older Americans," shows that the oldest and poorest of the elderly are hit particularly hard with medical expenses. The report says that elderly Americans average 19% of their total income on out-of-pocket medical expenses annually, with more than half of these payments going toward prescription drugs and dental care. The report states that people in the lowest income quintile spend 32% of their income on out-of-pocket medical expenses, in spite of Medicaid coverage for some of those costs, as compared with the 9% of income spent by those in the highest income brackets. The report also found that over one third of out-of-pocket payments to health providers were related to prescription drug costs. Out-of-pocket expenses used in the report include health insurance premiums, medical co-payments and prescriptions.

A study done by Rutgers University, "Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs Among Older Americans," shows that the oldest and poorest of the elderly are hit particularly hard with medical expenses. The report says that elderly Americans average 19% of their total income on out-of-pocket medical expenses annually, with more than half of these payments going toward prescription drugs and dental care. The report states that people in the lowest income quintile spend 32% of their income on out-of-pocket medical expenses, in spite of Medicaid coverage for some of those costs, as compared with the 9% of income spent by those in the highest income brackets. The report also found that over one third of out-of-pocket payments to health providers were related to prescription drug costs. Out-of-pocket expenses used in the report include health insurance premiums, medical co-payments and prescriptions.