May 10, 2004

The Cost of Care for the Uninsured: What Do We Spend, Who Pays, and What Would Full Coverage Add to Medical Spending?

This issue update contains findings from a new study examining the cost of medical care for the uninsured and how much care the uninsured receive compared to fully insured people. In addition, the study measures the cost of additional medical care if all the uninsured were provided coverage and used the health system at rates comparable to the insured population. By estimating how much medical care the uninsured use and who pays for it, the study identifies the resources that are already in the medical care system and potentially available to help pay for expanded insurance coverage.