Underinsurance remains a significant barrier to health care, new survey finds

Although the number of Americans with health insurance has risen in the last decade, underinsurance remains a significant problem, even among adults with employer-sponsored plans. The Commonwealth Fund, in its latest biennial health insurance survey, found almost no change in the percentage of underinsured adults* since 2010. The survey also reveals a range of other health and financial-related problems associated with underinsurance.

* ”Underinsured”= adults who were insured during the entire year, but whose out-of-pocket costs (excluding premiums) equaled at least 10% of income or, for adults with income <200% of the federal poverty level, out-of-pocket costs equaled at least 5% of income. In addition, anyone with deductibles equal to at least 5% of income was classified as underinsured.