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
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