The Pros And Cons Of Being Underinsured

Words: 274
Pages: 2

Estimates from the Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance Survey, 2014, indicate that 23 percent of 19-to-64-year-old adults who were insured all year or 31 million people. Individuals were considered underinsured if they spent more than 10 percent of their income on out-of-pocket medical expenses (5 percent if they were low-income) or more than 5 percent on deductibles. Low-income adults were at the highest risk of being underinsured. Some of the underinsured avoid going to the doctor or getting prescriptions filled because they can’t afford it. Others end up with medical debt and other severe financial problems (Collins, Gunja, & Doty, 2015). Minorities had a higher rate of underinsurance, amongst them the Black population had the highest