The case of disability in the family: impact on health care utilization and expenditures for nondisabled members

Abstract

Families with a disabled member undergo heightened emotional and financial stress, which can arise from caring for the person with one or more disabilities over the life course or at the end of life. Because health care resources are strained by the needs of the disabled family member, nondisabled members are often limited in health care access and utilization when they are most in need of care. This analysis uses the National Medical Expenditure Survey to describe families with disabled members, based on multiple definitions of disability, and to examine health care utilization and expenditures by nondisabled family members. Indications of higher use of medical care by adult, nondisabled members of such families support the frequent reports in the literature of stress occurring in these situations. The signals of a household rationing effect for families near and at poverty levels should alert policy makers to consider the needs of the whole family when creating or modifying assistance programs.