Reduced Access to Medical Care Due to Cost

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These tables present data on the percentage of adults who did not get medical care due to cost, whose medical care was delayed due to cost, and who did not get prescription drugs due to cost. Data are presented for adults aged 18 to 64 years of age for 1997, 2006, and 2007 based on the National Health Interview Survey. In addition to various age break downs, data are presented for gender, race and ethnicity, education level, percent of poverty level, insurance status, geographic regions, and MSA status.

Table A. Reduced access to medical care during the past 12 months due to cost among adults 18-64 years of age: United States, 1997-2007

(Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population)

Did not get medical care due to cost1 Delayed medical care due to cost2 Did not get prescription drugs due to cost3
1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007
Percent
Total, crude4 6.0 7.8 7.8 9.5 10.2 10.3 6.3 9.3 9.6

See footnotes at end of Table K.

Table B. Reduced access to medical care during the past 12 months due to cost among adults 18-64 years of age, by age: United States, 1997-2007

(Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population)

Did not get medical care due to cost1 Delayed medical care due to cost2 Did not get prescription drugs due to cost3
Age 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007
Percent
18-64 years 6.0 7.8 7.8 9.5 10.2 10.3 6.3 9.3 9.6
18-44 years 6.1 7.8 7.9 9.7 10.0 10.4 6.9 9.6 10.0
18-24 years 5.8 7.4 7.1 8.8 9.4 9.3 6.7 9.9 9.0
25-34 years 6.2 8.6 8.6 10.2 11.3 11.0 6.9 9.6 10.9
35-44 years 6.0 7.4 7.9 9.8 9.2 10.5 7.1 9.4 9.8
45-64 years 5.8 7.7 7.7 9.0 10.4 10.3 5.1 8.7 9.1
45-54 years 6.0 8.5 8.3 9.6 10.9 10.8 5.6 9.5 10.0
55-64 years 5.4 6.5 6.9 8.2 9.7 9.6 4.2 7.6 7.9

See footnotes at end of Table K.

Table C. Reduced access to medical care during the past 12 months due to cost among adults 18-64 years of age, by sex: United States, 1997-2007

(Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population)

Did not get medical care due to cost1 Delayed medical care due to cost2 Did not get prescription drugs due to cost3
Sex 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007
Percent
Male 5.1 7.2 7.0 8.3 9.3 8.9 5.1 7.1 7.8
Female 6.8 8.3 8.7 10.7 11.0 11.7 7.4 11.4 11.4

See footnotes at end of Table K.

Table D. Reduced access to medical care during the past 12 months due to cost among adults 18-64 years of age, by race: United States, 1997-2007

(Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population)

Did not get medical care due to cost1 Delayed medical care due to cost2 Did not get prescription drugs due to cost3
Race5 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007
Percent
White only 5.8 7.8 7.8 9.7 10.5 10.5 5.9 8.9 9.5
Black or African American only 7.4 8.8 8.8 8.8 9.9 10.4 9.5 12.6 11.9
American Indian or Alaska Native only 9.1 *9.5 11.6 13.1 *11.2 12.0 *10.1 *19.9 *12.9
Asian only 3.3 3.3 4.0 5.2 4.6 5.3 *2.8 4.2 4.5
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only * * * * * *
2 or more races 12.7 12.3 15.8 18.7 14.1 15.1

See footnotes at end of Table K.

Table E. Reduced access to medical care during the past 12 months due to cost among adults 18-64 years of age, by Hispanic origin and race: United States, 1997-2007

(Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population)

Did not get medical care due to cost1 Delayed medical care due to cost2 Did not get prescription drugs due to cost3
Hispanic origin and race5 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007
Percent
Hispanic or Latino 7.5 8.6 8.5 8.5 10.3 9.7 6.7 10.9 12.1
Hispanic or Latino, Mexican 7.1 8.2 8.5 7.9 9.8 10.1 6.5 11.5 12.3
Not Hispanic or Latino 5.8 7.6 7.7 9.6 10.1 10.4 6.3 9.0 9.2
Not Hispanic or Latino, White only 5.6 7.7 7.7 9.9 10.6 10.7 5.9 8.4 9.0
Not Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American only 7.4 8.8 8.9 8.8 9.8 10.4 9.5 12.8 11.7

See footnotes at end of Table K.

Table F. Reduced access to medical care during the past 12 months due to cost among adults 18-64 years of age, by education: United States, 1997-2007

(Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population)

Did not get medical care due to cost1 Delayed medical care due to cost2 Did not get prescription drugs due to cost3
Education6 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007
Percent
No high school diploma or GED 11.1 12.8 12.2 13.6 14.1 13.6 11.5 16.2 15.7
High school diploma or GED 6.1 8.6 9.1 9.9 11.0 11.5 7.0 9.7 12.1
Some college or more 4.5 6.5 6.8 8.5 9.4 9.7 4.3 7.1 7.3

See footnotes at end of Table K.

Table G. Reduced access to medical care during the past 12 months due to cost among adults 18-64 years of age, by percent of poverty level: United States, 1997-2007

(Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population)

Did not get medical care due to cost1 Delayed medical care due to cost2 Did not get prescription drugs due to cost3
Percent of poverty level7 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007
Percent
Below 100% 14.1 16.1 16.1 16.5 17.9 17.9 14.8 19.7 18.8
100%-less than 200% 11.1 14.0 14.3 15.8 16.3 17.0 11.6 16.4 17.2
200%-less than 400% 5.2 7.4 8.3 9.5 10.6 11.4 5.5 8.7 10.6
400% or more 1.6 2.8 2.7 4.2 4.8 4.7 1.7 3.0 3.0

See footnotes at end of Table K.

Table H. Reduced access to medical care during the past 12 months due to cost among adults 18-64 years of age, by age and percent of poverty level: United States, 1997-2007

(Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population)

Did not get medical care due to cost1 Delayed medical care due to cost2 Did not get prescription drugs due to cost3
Age and percent of poverty level7 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007
Percent
18-44 years, Below 100% 12.7 14.2 14.3 14.8 16.0 15.8 13.8 17.2 16.3
18-44 years, 100%-less than 200% 10.1 12.6 12.9 14.9 14.7 15.2 11.6 15.4 16.4
18-44 years, 200%-less than 400% 4.9 7.3 7.6 9.4 10.0 10.6 5.7 9.0 10.0
18-44 years, 400% or more 1.9 2.8 3.0 4.8 4.7 5.3 2.3 3.3 3.5
45-64 years, Below 100% 18.3 21.1 20.8 21.9 22.7 23.2 17.7 26.2 25.1
45-64 years, 100%-less than 200% 13.8 16.9 17.3 18.5 19.4 20.9 11.7 18.5 19.0
45-64 years, 200%-less than 400% 5.7 7.5 9.3 10.0 11.5 12.8 4.8 8.2 11.7
45-64 years, 400% or more 1.2 2.7 2.4 3.5 5.0 4.2 1.0 2.7 2.5

See footnotes at end of Table K.

Table I. Reduced access to medical care during the past 12 months due to cost among adults 18-64 years of age, by percent of poverty level and health insurance status prior to interview: United States, 1997-2007

(Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population)

Did not get medical care due to cost1 Delayed medical care due to cost2 Did not get prescription drugs due to cost3
Percent of poverty level and health insurance status prior to interview for persons 18-64 years of age7 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007
Percent
Insured continuously all 12 months 2.3 3.2 3.2 4.9 5.1 5.1 2.8 4.6 4.8
Insured continuously all 12 months, Below 100% 5.7 5.8 5.6 7.5 7.6 7.2 8.1 9.6 9.2
Insured continuously all 12 months, 100%-less than 200% 4.8 6.9 6.7 8.4 8.3 8.8 6.0 10.3 10.7
Insured continuously all 12 months, 200%-less than 400% 2.4 3.8 3.9 5.6 6.3 6.3 2.9 5.4 5.9
Insured continuously all 12 months, 400% or more 0.8 1.4 1.5 2.9 3.0 3.1 0.8 1.6 1.8
Uninsured for any period up to 12 months 16.4 21.9 23.0 25.9 28.5 27.9 17.7 25.3 25.0
Uninsured for any period up to 12 months, Below 100% 22.1 29.6 30.3 27.8 31.6 32.4 25.5 33.5 27.7
Uninsured for any period up to 12 months, 100%-less than 200% 19.6 24.8 25.7 30.5 30.5 28.1 20.5 27.4 28.9
Uninsured for any period up to 12 months, 200%-less than 400% 13.9 19.7 21.8 24.8 27.6 29.3 14.0 23.0 25.4
Uninsured for any period up to 12 months, 400% or more 9.7 14.4 14.8 19.2 24.4 21.1 10.7 17.2 16.8
Uninsured more than 12 months 21.4 24.5 24.8 26.7 27.3 28.9 18.9 23.1 25.8
Uninsured more than 12 months, Below 100% 25.3 29.1 30.6 27.4 30.8 32.6 21.6 30.6 33.7
Uninsured more than 12 months, 100%-less than 200% 21.5 24.6 25.3 26.1 26.8 29.2 19.5 23.0 24.6
Uninsured more than 12 months, 200%-less than 400% 19.6 21.3 22.0 27.9 25.6 26.5 17.3 17.3 23.4
Uninsured more than 12 months, 400% or more 14.0 20.1 18.8 23.6 24.2 26.3 13.5 18.8 18.0

See footnotes at end of Table K.

Table J. Reduced access to medical care during the past 12 months due to cost among adults 18-64 years of age, by geographic region: United States, 1997-2007

(Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population)

Did not get medical care due to cost1 Delayed medical care due to cost2 Did not get prescription drugs due to cost3
Geographic Region 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007
Percent
Northeast 4.8 5.5 5.1 7.6 7.0 7.0 4.9 6.6 7.2
Midwest 5.3 7.3 7.4 9.4 11.0 11.0 5.9 9.2 9.3
South 6.8 9.4 9.6 10.5 11.3 11.4 7.3 11.0 11.4
West 6.4 7.4 7.6 9.6 10.0 10.5 6.3 8.4 8.9

See footnotes at end of Table K.

Table K. Reduced access to medical care during the past 12 months due to cost among adults 18-64 years of age, by location of residence: United States, 1997-2007

(Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population)

Did not get medical care due to cost1 Delayed medical care due to cost2 Did not get prescription drugs due to cost3
Location of residence 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007 1997 2006 2007
Percent
Within MSA8 5.7 7.3 7.5 9.0 9.8 9.9 5.9 8.9 9.2
Outside MSA8 6.9 10.1 9.9 11.3 12.2 12.9 7.9 11.0 11.7

* Estimates are considered unreliable. Data preceded by an asterisk have a relative standard error (RSE) of 20%-30%. Data not shown have an RSE of greater than 30%.

— Data not available.

1 Based on persons responding yes to the question, “During the past 12 months was there any time when person needed medical care but did not get it because person couldn’t afford it?”

2 Based on persons responding yes to the question, “During the past 12 months has medical care been delayed because of worry about the cost?”

3 Based on persons responding yes to the question, “During the past 12 months was there any time when you needed prescription medicine but didn’t get it because you couldn’t afford it?”

4 Includes all other races not shown separately, unknown health insurance status, and unknown education level.

5 The race groups, white, black, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and 2 or more races, include persons of Hispanic and non-Hispanic origin. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. Starting with 1999 data, race-specific estimates are tabulated according to the 1997 Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity and are not strictly comparable with estimates for earlier years. The five single-race categories plus multiple-race categories shown in the table conform to the 1997 Standards. Starting with 1999 data, race-specific estimates are for persons who reported only one racial group; the category 2 or more races includes persons who reported more than one racial group. Prior to 1999, data were tabulated according to the 1977 Standards with four racial groups and the Asian only category included Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Estimates for single-race categories prior to 1999 included persons who reported one race or, if they reported more than one race, identified one race as best representing their race. Starting with 2003 data, race responses of other race and unspecified multiple race were treated as missing, and then race was imputed if these were the only race responses. Almost all persons with a race response of other race were of Hispanic origin.

6 Estimates are for persons 25 years of age and over. GED stands for General Educational Development high school equivalency diploma.

7 Percent of poverty level is based on family income and family size and composition using U.S. Census Bureau poverty thresholds. Missing family income data were imputed for 24% of persons in 1997 and 33%-34% in 2006-2007.

8 MSA is metropolitan statistical area.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey, family core, sample child, and sample adult questionnaires.

These estimates may be revised in the future as further analyses are completed.