Healthcare
Independent research on who finances American healthcare, how coverage changes across life stages, and how affordability differs across generations.
OCG's Healthcare collection examines financing, coverage, household affordability and generational comparisons using federal and major survey data.
New to This Issue? Start Here.
Begin with a curated sequence of visuals designed to give you the foundation before you explore the issue in depth.
Healthcare: Start Here
A guided introduction to who finances healthcare, how coverage changes with age, and how affordability comparisons should be read.
Start Learning Path →Go Deeper
Explore a specific part of this issue through a focused guided learning path.
Healthcare: Affordability Across Generations
A focused path through same-age premium burden, income denominators, direct household contributions and generational comparisons.
EXPLORE DEEP DIVE →Healthcare: Who Pays & How
A focused path through payers, sponsors, coverage sources and public-program financing.
EXPLORE DEEP DIVE →Explore the Research
Browse OCG's charts, explainers, and data by subtopic. Select a Visual to see the explanation, sources, and verification behind it.
![[THUMBNAIL]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a4ce2573c5e347b9450aeb1/6ab27b3420f78cbf3a130c2f_6ab13cbd5ca61afd00e932ce_08_Medicare_Financing_Mix_Changed.png)
Medicare's Financing Mix Has Changed
Medicare's sources of income have shifted as the program's components have changed.
View Visual →![[THUMBNAIL]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a4ce2573c5e347b9450aeb1/6ab14c4d96b603511062b661_6ab13cda691b03ab80646579_07_Total_Premium_vs_Worker_Contribution.png)
Total Premium ≠ What the Household Pays Directly
The full cost of employer health coverage is not the same as the amount a worker pays directly.
View Visual →![[THUMBNAIL]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a4ce2573c5e347b9450aeb1/6ab14c4c81eca35c7ac11648_6ab13cfc3c80ac0409ee794f_06_Denominator_Changes_Affordability_Story.png)
The Denominator Changes the Affordability Story
Affordability ratios can change materially depending on which income denominator is used.
View Visual →![[THUMBNAIL]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a4ce2573c5e347b9450aeb1/6ab14c4b11c42f2a1c69366f_6ab13d25ada034c97407529e_05_Age_30_Family_Premium_Burden.png)
At Age 30, Family Premium Burden Was Higher for Millennials
Employer family premiums consumed a larger share of age-bracket household income for Millennials at age 30 than for Gen X.
View Visual →![[THUMBNAIL]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a4ce2573c5e347b9450aeb1/6ab27b2fbcf6546834266ced_6ab13d4786f0d356d54b7f41_04_Same_Age_Higher_Real_Healthcare_Spending.png)
Same Age. Higher Real Healthcare Spending.
Matched-age comparisons can reduce one source of distortion in generational healthcare comparisons.
View Visual →![[THUMBNAIL]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a4ce2573c5e347b9450aeb1/6ab27b2ee1ea593718ffd95c_6ab13d66c7e4224ae8a3252c_03_Lifecycle_vs_Cohort.png)
Lifecycle Effect ≠ Cohort Effect
A difference between generations today may reflect age, historical conditions, or both.
View Visual →![[THUMBNAIL]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a4ce2573c5e347b9450aeb1/6ab27b2d6aa6b8ff0af54741_6ab13d80094d842adc4641c9_02_Health_Coverage_Changes_With_Age.png)
Health Coverage Changes With Age
Americans rely on different coverage sources at different stages of life.
View Visual →![[THUMBNAIL]](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6a4ce2573c5e347b9450aeb1/6ab27b2cccd76a4f8a4ee382_6ab13da2b222abfd55d06b1c_01_Who_Pays_American_Healthcare.png)
Who Pays for American Healthcare?
Who pays a medical bill and who ultimately finances healthcare are related but different questions.
View Visual →LONG-FORM RESEARCH
Research Papers
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