Does Being Poor and Sick Modify the Effect of Individuals on High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) Reporting Delayed/Foregone Care?

Abstract

Objective: To assess the influence of being both poor and sick on the association of high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) with delayed/forgone care.

Findings: In this cross-sectional study that included 14,203 respondents, representing 120 million Americans, individuals insured by HDHPs had 2.23 times the odds of delayed/foregone care compared with non-HDHP insureds. When examined across strata of income and health status, the association yielded similar odds of delayed/foregone care. Additionally, the interaction of being poor and sick on the association of HDHPs to delayed/foregone care was not statistically significant. Meaning. Being insured on a HDHP affected delayed/foregone care largely consistently, regardless of health, income, or combined health/income category.