Government
Chronically ill hit by high health costs
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Oct. 4, 2004
Having health insurance is no guarantee that patients still won't struggle with rising health costs, according to a new report from the Center for Studying Health System Change.
The analysis of HSC's 2003 Household Survey showed that 42% of low-income but privately insured Americans with chronic illness were spending more than 5% of their income on out-of-pocket medical costs, compared with 28% of this group in 2001. One in three also reported living in families that had problems paying medical bills, the survey showed.
"The findings that people with chronic conditions bear higher costs and have more problems paying medical bills aren't surprising, but the extent of the cost burden and the degree to which it impedes timely access to medical care are," said study author Ha T. Tu, an HSC researcher.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/10/04/gvbf1004.htm.