Income disparities in care access measures U.S. 2019

The disparity by income in healthcare access was largest comparing poor vs. high-income households. People in poor households (less than 100% FPL) had worse access to care than high-income households (400% or more FPL) for 79 percent of care access measures. This statistic depicts the percentage of healthcare access measures for which members of low or middle-income groups had better or worse quality of care than high-income groups in the U.S. in 2017, 2018, or 2019.

Share of healthcare access measures for which members of low or middle-income households had better or worse quality of care than high-income households in the U.S. in 2017-2019

Characteristic	Better	Same	Worse
Poor	-	21%	79%
Low income	-	29%	71%
Middle income	-	50%	50%

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Release date

December 2021

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Region

North America, United States

Survey time period

2017 to 2019

Supplementary notes

Income groups are based on the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) for a family of four:
•Poor: Less than 100% of FPL.
•Low income: 100% to less than 200% of FPL.
•Middle income: 200% to less than 400% of FPL.
•High income: 400% or more of FPL.

Access measures:
Access to healthcare means having “the timely use of personal health services to achieve the best health outcomes.” Measures of access to care tracked in the NHQDR include having health insurance, having a usual source of care, encountering difficulties when seeking care, and receiving care as soon as wanted.

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