Poor people spend more of their income on health care
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People with lower incomes spend more of their money on health care, although wealthy people spend more in dollar amounts, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Why it matters: The cost of health care is growing more prominent as a social and political issue, and it hits low-income people hardest. Democrats differ on how far left they want to go, but Medicare for All is partially about redistributing these costs.
Between the lines: Like most other consumer goods, the price of health care services or employer-based insurance doesn't usually vary based on a person's income, although more government assistance is available to the poor.
- That means that a monthly premium is a much larger percentage of someone's income who is making $25,000 than it is for someone making $250,000.
Wealthier people spend more dollar-wise on health care; while the bottom 10% of earners spends, on average, $2,119 a year on health care, the top 10% spends an average of $8,720.
- Low-income people often have to forgo health care in order to pay for other necessities, like rent or food.
Go deeper: How health insurance contributes to income inequality
