Number of People Spending 10% of Income on Health Care on the Rise in PA

A study from the health care accessibility watchdog group Families USA says 2.3 Million Pennsylvanians are in families that will spend more than 10% of their pre-tax income on health care in 2009. Since 2000 the number of people reaching that 10% threshold has increased by nearly a quarter. The same study says 88% of those reaching the 10% threshold have insurance. The study only looked at those below the age of 65. Families USA also looked at families where the cost of health care exceeded a quarter of family income. The report says 628,000 Pennsylvanians will fall into that category. That is 5% of the state’s population. Families USA Deputy Executive Director Kathleen Stoll says adding to the burden is the fact that often the bulk of the medical care expenses come all at once and at unexpected times. She says that makes it very hard to budget even if you can meet the costs in a given year.