Study: More Ohioans, Americans have unmet health needs due to cost

A news study by the Urban Institute found that nearly 1.3 million non-elderly Ohioans in 2010 reported having unmet health needs due to cost, an increase of 4.5% since 2000 (Source: “Nearly every state showed health access declines in 2010,” American Medical News, May 21, 2012).

Nationally, the share of adults 18-64 with unmet medical needs because of cost increased 20 percent from 2000 to 2010, according to the Robert Wood Johnson-funded report titled “Virtually Every State Experienced Deteriorating Access to Care for Adults over the Past Decade.”

The report found that adults without health insurance were much more likely to have a cost-related unmet health need. The study found that in 2010, 48.1 percent of uninsured adults fell into that category, compared to 11.2 percent of insured adults.

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio has identified “ensuring access to care for all Ohioans” as one of its four strategic objectives for informing health policy development in Ohio. HPIO has begun organizing and hosting a multi-stakeholder Health Access Collaborative that is exploring and advising policymakers on a wide variety of issues related to ensuring access to care for all Ohioans. The collaborative’s initial focus is on coverage and affordability, and ensuring a diverse and sustainable health workforce.

If you have questions about HPIO's health access work or would like more information, please contact Mary Wachtel at 614.224.4950 x307 or mwachtel@hpio.net.