Table 4.1: Percent of persons unable or delayed in receiving needed medical care, dental care, or prescription medications, United States, 2012
Population characteristics Experienced Difficulty Main Reason d
Couldn't Afford Insurance Related Other
Percent Standard Error Percent Standard Error Percent Standard Error Percent Standard Error
Total 10.5 0.4 58.1 1.4 13.3 0.8 36.4 1.4
Age in years
18-44 11.7 0.5 63.6 1.7 12.6 1.3 30.1 1.8
45-64 14.8 0.6 60.2 2.1 14.9 1.4 35.6 1.9
65 and over 9.5 0.7 41.7 3.7 11.8 2.1 54.2 3.2
Sex
Male 9.4 0.4 55.1 2.0 11.9 1.2 38.9 1.9
Female 11.6 0.5 60.4 1.6 14.3 1.0 34.5 1.6
Education a
Less than High School 12.5 0.8 67.9 2.8 12.6 2.0 28.4 2.7
High School 13.1 0.6 64.6 2.5 11.8 1.4 31.9 2.2
Some college 12.1 0.5 53.8 1.8 14.6 1.3 39.7 1.8
Health insurance status b
<65, Any private 8.4 0.4 47.6 2.2 15.7 1.4 43.8 2.3
<65, Public only 12.6 0.8 53.5 3.4 22.5 2.6 37.6 3.0
<65, Uninsured 18.6 0.9 92.8 0.9 1.1 0.4 10.2 1.1
65+, Medicare only 9.4 1.0 44.7 5.5 8.9 2.5 50.7 5.5
65+, Medicare and private 8.8 0.9 38.1 4.8 13.2 3.1 56.0 4.3
65+, Medicare and other public 13.7 1.9 -- -- -- -- -- --
65+, Missing -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Poverty status c
Negative or Poor 15.1 0.8 67.7 2.2 12.7 1.7 29.3 2.1
Near-poor 16.2 1.3 67.7 3.7 15.7 3.0 32.5 4.2
Low income 12.2 0.8 66.2 3.0 9.4 1.5 31.2 3.1
Middle income 10.9 0.6 58.9 2.4 11.1 1.4 36.8 2.2
High income 6.8 0.5 38.9 2.9 18.6 2.2 47.4 2.9
Metropolitan statistical area (MSA)
MSA 10.3 0.4 57.7 1.5 13.3 0.9 36.3 1.5
Non-MSA 11.4 1.0 60.0 3.2 12.8 2.3 36.8 3.3
Census Region
Northeast 9.9 0.9 47.4 3.1 15.1 2.1 43.1 3.5
Midwest 10.4 0.8 55.4 2.2 13.9 2.2 40.2 2.8
South 10.2 0.6 65.7 2.4 10.4 1.2 30.9 2.0
West 11.5 0.6 56.5 3.2 15.5 1.6 36.7 3.1
Perceived Health Status
Excellent 5.3 0.4 58.6 3.1 11.4 1.8 33.9 3.2
Very Good 8.9 0.4 57.5 2.4 12.7 1.5 35.4 2.2
Good 13.1 0.6 57.8 2.2 12.3 1.2 36.8 2.1
Fair 20.2 1.2 60.5 2.9 15.2 2.0 35.7 3.3
Poor 35.9 2.1 56.0 3.8 18.0 3.0 43.4 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, 2012