Health care costs continue to rise in Oregon, forcing residents to deplete their savings, abandon health care, and pile up medical debt, according to a state report.
the state is about Health care costs will reach $31 billion in 2021, according to the study The Oregon Department of Health announced Thursday. On average, this means the household spends her 22% of the budget. Insurance premiums, prescription drugs, and over-the-counter costs equal approximately $8,000 per person per year.
That’s a 40 percent increase from 2013, when residents spent just over $5,600 a year on health care, the report said. However, on an annual basis, costs will only rise 3.5% from 2020 to 2021, close to the state’s target, the report found.
In 2019, Congress enacted a program to curb rising healthcare costs. As part of its program to monitor annual spending and prices and produce reports like this one, the agency has set a cap on health care spending growth of 3.4% per year from 2021 to 2025 and 3.4% from 2026 to 2030. is set at 3%.
The report found that rising costs are hitting some communities more than others, with the lowest-income communities being hit hardest. This is based on statewide surveys and other data.
About a third of Oregonians will struggle to pay their medical bills in 2021, according to a study, with some increasing their credit card debt, jumping into savings, borrowing money, and spending money on food. , housing, utilities, and other necessities. And he had to deal with 13% collectors.
The report showed a split demographic among those who spent all their savings on health care. Eighteen percent of Latinos attended camps, along with 16% of indigenous peoples, and 9% of whites used up their savings.
Oregon has a relatively high health insurance rate, over 95% – According to a survey, two out of five residents were estimated to be underinsured and 7% were unable to obtain the medical care they needed because they could not afford it.
“The data clearly shows that high medical costs are directly linked to delayed treatment,” the Oregon Department of Health said in a statement. “About a third of Oregon adults surveyed said they had neglected necessary dental care, delayed seeing a doctor, or avoided treatment because of cost. One in four adults say they forgot to take their medication or did not write a prescription because of the expense. ”
One of the biggest culprits is the ever-rising cost of health insurance. In 2021, the annual premium paid by singles was about $7,400, while family plans rose to $20,900, both up about a third from 2013, according to the report.
Those who are not normally affected by rising healthcare costs will earn below 138% of the federal poverty level in 2021 ($17,600 a year for a single person and $36,200 a year for a family of four). The 138% mark is the maximum Medicaid income requirement. Known as the Oregon Health Plan, this plan is free. Members do not pay premiums, deductibles or copayments. But the survey found that many low-income people struggle to pay for medical care.
It’s unclear why they didn’t join Medicaid. More than 40% of those without health insurance said they didn’t get one because of concerns about high premiums.
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