Patient cost sharing (deductibles and copayments) reduces the rate of ambulatory care use, especially among the.

Question

Options

• AUninsured
• BCritically ill
• CPoor
• DAll of the above

• A
  13% (4)
• B
  3% (1)
• C
  81% (26)
• D
  3% (1)

Explanation

Cost sharing (deductibles and copays) disproportionately reduces ambulatory care use among the poor because low-income individuals are most price-sensitive - even small out-of-pocket costs can deter them from seeking non-emergency outpatient care, leading to forgone preventive visits and early treatment. The uninsured (A) are incorrect as a choice here because cost sharing is a feature of insurance plans; the uninsured face the full cost of care regardless, making them a separate category rather than a cost-sharing-affected population. The critically ill (B) tend to seek care regardless of cost because the perceived severity overrides financial barriers - their demand is relatively inelastic. All of the above (D) is wrong because the evidence specifically identifies low-income individuals as the group most sensitive to cost sharing, not all three groups equally.

Memory tip: Think "cost sharing = barrier to the budget-constrained." The RAND Health Insurance Experiment (a classic study) showed cost sharing reduced care use most among the poor, helping you anchor this concept to landmark research.

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