Hidden Health Tax: Americans Pay a Premium

When some of us are uninsured, all of us pay the price. Uninsured people pay as much toward their care as they can afford.  Often, however, the uninsured cannot afford to pay the entire bill, and a portion of it goes uncompensated.

To make up for these uncompensated care costs, doctors and hospitals charge insurers more for the services provided to patients who do have health coverage. Insurers, in turn, charge higher health insurance premiums to consumers and businesses. This cost shift to premiums creates a “hidden health tax.”

In this report Families USA quantifies this “tax” on Americans with health insurance coverage.