In health care spending, Americans who make the least contribute the greatest share of income.

Abstract

Key findings. (1) Health care spending, both public and private, accounted for more than 20 percent of family income for families in the lowest-income quintile, but no more than 16 percent for families in any other income quintile. (2) The Affordable Care Act should reduce, but is unlikely to completely eliminate, some of this inequity through its heavy reliance on federal funding for the Medicaid expansion and income-related subsidies for private insurance.