In 2004, the majority of health care expenses of both females and males were covered by public or private health insurance. For females, nearly one-third of expenses were covered by either Medicare or Medicaid, while almost 43 percent were covered by private insurance. Although the percentage of expenditures paid through private insurance was approximately equal for both sexes, health care costs of females were more likely than those of males, to be paid by Medicaid or out-of-pocket.

Nearly 90 percent of females had at least one health care expenditure in 2004, compared to 80 percent of males. Among those who had at least one health care expense in 2004, the average per person expenditure including expenses covered by insurance and those paid out-of-pocket, was slightly higher for females ($4,158) than for males ($3,554). However, males’ average expenditures exceeded females’ for hospital inpatient services ($16,007 compared to $12,292) and hospital outpatient services, while females’ expenditures exceeded males’ in the categories of home health services, office-based medical services, and prescription drugs. While the gender gap in health care expenditures has narrowed somewhat since 1998, overall per capita health care expenditures have increased substantially among both men and women. Males’ expenses have gone up by 67 percent over this period while females’ have increased by 53 percent.

> PIE CHARTS: Health Care Expenses, by Source of Payment and Sex (All Ages), 2004

> HORIZONTAL BAR CHART: Annual Mean Health Care Expenses for Persons (All Ages) with an Expense, by Sex and Category of Service, 2004