Table 4.1: Percent of persons unable or delayed in receiving needed medical care, dental care, or prescription medications, United States, 2006

  Main Reasond
 
  Experienced Difficulty Couldn't Afford Insurance Related Other
 
Population characteristics Percent Standard Error Percent Standard Error Percent Standard Error Percent Standard Error
 
Total 11.7 0.4 53.9 1.2 13.4 0.8 41.3 1.2
 
Age in years
  18-44 13.2 0.5 60.7 1.6 11.8 1.1 36.2 1.7
  45-64 15.2 0.5 55.7 1.7 12.9 1.1 42.2 1.8
  65 and over 10.6 0.7 31.3 3.0 15.9 2.3 58.5 3.3
 
Sex
  Male 10.2 0.4 54.2 1.6 12.2 1.1 41.1 1.6
  Female 13.1 0.4 53.7 1.4 14.2 0.9 41.4 1.5
 
Educationa
  Less than High School 15.5 0.7 69.6 2.2 11.4 1.4 28.9 2.0
  High School 14.5 0.6 59.9 2.0 11.9 1.2 37.7 1.9
  Some college 12.2 0.5 44.2 1.7 13.7 1.3 50.2 1.8
 
 
Health insurance statusb
  <65, Any private 10.0 0.4 43.5 1.7 15.4 1.3 48.6 1.7
  <65, Public only 13.0 0.8 58.6 2.4 18.6 2.1 39.3 2.9
  <65, Uninsured 19.5 1.0 89.3 1.5 3.1 0.9 14.7 1.8
  65+, Medicare only 10.7 1.2 38.9 5.5 12.7 3.0 56.6 5.7
  65+, Medicare and private 10.0 0.9 24.2 3.8 17.8 3.4 61.5 4.4
  65+, Medicare and other public 13.5 1.6 -- -- -- -- -- --
  65+, Missing -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
 
Poverty statusc
  Negative or Poor 15.3 0.8 67.2 2.1 13.1 1.8 29.3 2.2
  Near-poor 16.9 1.5 74.0 3.4 13.7 2.8 23.5 3.2
  Low income 13.7 0.8 67.2 2.3 10.5 1.7 32.0 2.4
  Middle income 12.8 0.7 57.5 1.8 11.6 1.2 39.7 1.9
  High income 8.2 0.4 28.9 2.1 17.4 1.8 60.0 2.6
 
Metropolitan statistical area (MSA)
  MSA 11.4 0.4 53.6 1.3 14.1 0.9 41.2 1.4
  Non-MSA 13.0 0.8 55.6 2.8 10.0 2.0 41.5 2.7
 
Census Region
  Northeast 8.2 0.7 39.4 2.8 21.9 3.2 47.0 3.3
  Midwest 12.0 0.7 52.5 2.4 11.0 1.7 42.7 2.7
  South 13.2 0.7 61.9 1.8 11.3 1.1 35.3 1.9
  West 11.6 0.8 49.2 2.7 14.5 1.4 47.3 2.6
 
Perceived Health Status
  Excellent 7.0 0.4 49.0 3.0 14.8 2.1 42.3 2.6
  Very Good 9.4 0.5 49.8 2.4 12.6 1.4 44.9 2.3
  Good 14.4 0.6 55.3 1.8 11.8 1.2 40.8 1.9
  Fair 23.7 0.9 59.9 2.3 15.8 1.7 36.1 2.2
  Poor 33.7 2.1 63.2 3.1 14.0 2.2 38.5 3.5
 
a Includes persons age 18 and over only. "Less than high school" refers to fewer than 12 years of education; "high school graduate", 12 years of education; and "at least some college", more than 12 years of education.
b Uninsured refers to persons uninsured during the entire year. Public and private health insurance categories refer to individuals with public or private insurance at any time during the period; individuals with both public and private insurance and those with Tricare (Armed-Forces-related coverage) are classified as having insurance.
c Poor refers to incomes below the Federal poverty line; near poor, over the poverty line through 125 percent of the poverty line; low income, over 125 percent through 200 percent of the poverty line; middle income, over 200 percent to 400 percent of the poverty line; and high income, over 400 percent of the poverty line.
d Denominator for the main reason categories is persons unable or delayed in receiving the needed care.
-- Less than 100 sample cases.
* Relative standard error equal to or greater than 30%.
 
Source: Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2006.