Health Affairs, 28, no. 5 (2009): 1551 doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.28.5.1551 © 2009 by Project HOPE	New Online   Senate Health Reform Bill   Rewarding Providers   Public Option Policy Brief   Health Reform & Abortion   Delivery System Reform

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Letters

Average Out-Of-Pocket Spending For Families

The paper by Jon Gabel and colleagues (Web Exclusive, 2 June 2009) documenting the 34 percent increase in out-of-pocket spending from 2004 to 2007 was interesting. It certainly quantifies people’s fears, in that Americans reported that their number-one concern about health care was cost in an Accenture study in 2008. However, although a 34 percent increase in out-of-pocket spending sounds pretty sobering, the actual average dollar cost of about $700 reported in the paper seems like a real deal. In fact, I thought to myself, "Wow, I’d be happy if my family’s out-of-pocket expenses were that low!"

Then I realized . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Laura Clay Trueman
Independent Consultant, Health Advocacy and Policy, Oakton, Virginia

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