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DataPoint: Medicare Health Care Spending Trends

Health expenses accounted for 14 percent of Medicare household (all members of a particular housing and non-institutional unit with one or more Medicare-eligible individuals) spending in 2016, while non-Medicare households spent 6 percent. An analysis comparing health-related expenses as a proportion of total household spending for Medicare and non-Medicare households, using the 2016 Consumer Expenditure National Survey, found that many Medicare households spent more than the 14 percent average. Nearly a third of Medicare households spent over 20 percent of their income on health-related expenses, while 6 percent of non-Medicare households had similarly high health care expenses. The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) study revealed additional Medicare spending trends for older adults. Households with older Medicare participants spent a larger portion of their household income on health care costs than younger Medicare households in 2016. Medicare households with members aged 75 or older dedicated 16 percent of their total spending to health costs, while Medicare households with members under 65 devoted 10 percent of their overall spending to health-related expenses.

To view the entire KFF study, click here.

Contact: Ken Allison, kallison@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8820