Medicare Beneficiaries Are More Likely to Reach Catastrophic Spending on Insulin

Among people who filled at least one insulin prescription, 14.1% reached catastrophic health spending — out-of-pocket medical spending greater than 40% of a household’s remaining income after subsistence needs are met — and almost two-thirds of them were Medicare beneficiaries, according to a recent Health Affairs study.

The study was based on data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey in 2017 and 2018. Among the respondents who filled at least one insulin prescription, 41.1% were covered by Medicare and 35.7% by private insurance. Median annual out-of-pocket spending on insulin was $97.72, while people with Medicare coverage and private insurance paid much more than Medicaid enrollees.

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