Seniors with High Unreimbursed Health Care Costs: Who Are They?

Maxim Shvedov

AARP Public Policy Institute

Published November 06, 2017

In 2013, roughly 25.8 million traditional Medicare beneficiaries spent at least 10 percent of their income on out-of-pocket health care expenses. The medical expense tax deduction makes health care more affordable for people with significant out-of-pocket expenses. This factsheet presents some of the key socio-economic and health characteristics of Medicare beneficiaries who bear such a high health care cost burden and for whom the medical expense tax deduction is critical.

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