Out-of-pocket medical spending for care of chronic conditions.

We examined out-of-pocket medical spending by persons with and without chronic conditions using data from the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Our results show that mean out-of-pocket spending increased with the number of chronic conditions. The level of this spending also varied by age and insurance coverage, among other characteristics. Out-of-pocket spending for prescription drugs was substantial for both elderly and nonelderly persons with chronic conditions. As policymakers continue to use cost sharing and design of benefit packages to contain health spending, it is important to consider the impact of these policies on persons with chronic conditions and their families.