Socioeconomic Differences in Entry into the Health Care System

Measure	Income Difference[1]			Educational Difference[2]		Insurance Difference[3]
	<100%	100-199%	200-399%	<HS	HS Grad	Uninsured
People, ages <65, with health insurance4
People, ages <65, with public health insurance only4
People, ages <65, with any private health insurance4
People, ages 65+, with any private health insurance4
People uninsured all year5
People with any period of uninsurance during the year5
People with any period of public insurance during the year5>
Usual Source of Care
People who have a specific source of ongoing care4
People in fair or poor health who have a specific source of ongoing care4
People with a hospital, emergency room, or clinic as source of ongoing care4
People with a community health center as source of ongoing care6
People without a usual source of care who indicate a financial or insurance reason for not having a source of care5
People who have a usual primary care provider5
Adults who report very little or no choice in source of care6>
Adults who have not had their regular doctor for more than 5 years6

Measure	Income Difference7			Educational Difference8		Insurance Difference9
	<100%	100-199%	200-399%	<HS	HS Grad	Uninsured
Patient Perceptions of Their Care
Families that experience difficulties or delays in obtaining health care or do not receive needed care10
Families that experience difficulties or delays due to financial or insurance reasons4
Families that did not receive a doctor's care or prescription medications because the family needed the money4
Families not very satisfied that they can get health care if they need it4
People who can always get appointments for routine care as soon as wanted11
People who can always get care for illness or injury as soon as wanted5

Key to Quality of Health Care Tables : Selected population and comparison population have about the same access to health care : Selected population has better access than the comparison population : Selected population has worse access than the comparison population : Data are collected but do not meet criteria for statistical reliability

[1] Compared with persons with family incomes 400% of federal poverty thresholds or above.

[2] Compared with persons with any college education.

[3] Compared with person under 65 with any private health insurance.

[4] Source: NHIS, 2000.

[5] Source: MEPS, 1999.

[6] Source: Commonwealth Fund Health Care Quality Survey, 2001.

[7] Compared with persons with family incomes 400% of federal poverty thresholds or above.

[8] Compared with persons with any college education.

[9] Compared with person under 65 with any private health insurance.

[10] Source: MEPS, 1999.

[11] Source: MEPS, 2000.

Return to Document