Older Americans struggle to afford health care compared with those in other nations

In the U.S., having health insurance is necessary, but not sufficient to ensure access to affordable health care services.

While the U.S. lacks a universal health care system like those that exist in most other wealthy nations, most Americans over 65 are insured through Medicare. Yet even so, they still struggle to afford care, with high out-of-pocket costs putting necessary medications and doctor visits out of reach for many of them, according to new research from The Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit devoted to promoting an equitable health care system. 

These extra costs, for which Medicare beneficiaries are on the hook, make it more difficult for older Americans to receive affordable care compared with older adults in nine other countries. Researchers compared coverage for older adults in the U.S. to health care systems in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.