What is “affordable” health care?: a review of concepts to guide policymakers What is “affordable” health care?: a review of concepts to guide policymakers

Collection: Health Policy and Services Research Author(s): Weiner, Janet, author Glickman, Aaron, author Wikelius, Kristen, author Garratt-Reed, Megan, author Rosenquist, Rebecca, author McCarthy-Alfano, Megan, author Contributor(s): Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, issuing body. United States of Care, issuing body. Publication: [Philadelphia, Pennsylvania] : Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, November 2018 Language(s): English Format: Text Subject(s): Costs and Cost Analysis Financing, Personal Insurance Coverage -- economics Insurance, Health -- economics United States United States. Genre(s): Technical Report Abstract: Although the "affordability" of health care is a common concern, the term is rarely defined. Fundamentally, affordability is a function of income, spending, and judgments about the value of goods and services for their price. This brief considers affordability as an economic concept, as a kitchen-table budget issue for individuals and families, and as a threshold in current policy. It reviews a range of measures that capture the cost burden for individuals and families with different forms of coverage, in different financial circumstances, and with different health concerns. By any measure, many Americans are experiencing significant problems due to health care costs, whether through high deductibles that discourage them from seeking health care, uninsurance or gaps in insurance benefits, or the less-noticed erosion of wages due to rising health insurance premiums. To transform affordability from an aspirational goal to a policy aim, policymakers will need to consider a number of key issues, including: the cost of care versus the cost of insurance, how to fairly distribute costs, consumers' most salient affordability concerns, the root causes of financial barriers to care, and the differential impact of various policies on stakeholders. Copyright: Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information) Extent: 1 online resource (1 PDF file (8 pages)) Illustrations: Illustrations NLM Unique ID: 101738497 (See catalog record) Permanent Link: http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101738497