Differences in Health Care Expenditures Among Non-Latino Whites and Asian Subgroups Vary Along the Distribution of the Expenditures

Disparities in utilization of preventive health services among Asian young adults in the United States

Despite the favorable health impacts of preventive services use, young adults remain at a higher risk of not using these services compared with older adults. This study seeks to identify barriers to receiving recommended preventive services among Asian young adults compared to other racial/ethnic young adults. Using 2016-2018 National Health Interview Survey data, this study examined barriers to recommended preventive services among non-Hispanic (NH) Asian young adults aged 18-39 years compared with other racial/ethnic groups in the United States (Total = 25,430; NH Asians = 6.3%). General prevention included fasting blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus checkups. We documented information on vaccinations for influenza, pneumonia, tetanus, hepatitis A/B, and female-specific preventive care measures. NH Asian young adults reported blood pressure checkups less often than NH Whites (72.88% vs. 79.92%, p < 0.001). NH Asian young adults were also less likely to report HIV testing than all other racial/ethnic groups (p < 0.001). After controlling for covariates, NH Whites (odds ratio [OR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.60, 2.50), NH Blacks (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.18, 2.02), and other races (OR = 2.40, 95% CI = 1.60, 3.58) were more likely to receive any preventive services than NH Asians. Among those receiving any preventive services, there were no differences between NH Asians and all other racial/ethnic groups in whether they reported receiving relatively more preventive services. Our findings demonstrate that the rates of certain recommended preventive services use were lower among NH Asian young adults. Targeted public health strategies are needed to increase the use of preventive healthcare for racial/ethnic minority young adults.

Inequities in Access to Care and Health Care Spending for Asian Americans With Cancer

BACKGROUND

Asian Americans have lower cancer screening rates than non-Latino "Whites," suggesting inequities in cancer prevention among Asian Americans. Little is known about inequities in cancer treatment between Whites and Asian Americans with cancer.

METHODS

Using the 2002-2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we examined inequities in access to care and health care spending between Whites and Asian Americans with and without cancer. Our outcomes included 3 measures of access to care and 3 measures of health care spending. We used multivariable regressions while adjusting for predisposing, enabling, and need factors and estimated the mean adjusted values of the outcomes for each group. We then examined the differences in these adjusted mean outcomes among Asian Americans relative to Whites.

RESULTS

We observed evidence of inequities that Asian Americans without cancer experienced limited access to care due to a lack of a usual source of care. The likelihood of having a usual source of care was lower among Asian Americans without cancer than Whites without cancer. Inequities were not observed among Asian Americans with cancer. Compared with Whites with cancer, Asian Americans with cancer had similar or better levels of access to care. No or marginal differences in health care spending were detected between Whites and Asian Americans with cancer. These findings were consistent in both nonelderly and elderly groups.

CONCLUSION

While Asian Americans without cancer have unmet medical needs due to limited access to care, access to care and spending are relatively equitable between Whites and Asian Americans with cancer.

Racial and ethnic patterns and differences in health care expenditures among Medicare beneficiaries with and without cognitive deficits or Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have documented racial and ethnic differences in the prevalence and incidence of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Less is known, however, about racial and ethnic differences in health care expenditures among older adults at risk for ADRD (cognitive deficits without ADRD) or with ADRD. In particular, there is limited evidence that racial and ethnic differences in health care expenditures change over the trajectory of ADRD or differ by types of service.

METHODS

We examined racial and ethnic patterns and differences in health care expenditures (total health care expenditures, out-of-pocket expenditures, and six service-specific expenditures) among Medicare beneficiaries without cognitive deficits, those with cognitive deficits without ADRD, and those with ADRD. Using the 1996-2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we performed multivariable regression models to estimate expenditure differences among racial and ethnic groups without cognitive deficits, those with cognitive deficits without ADRD, and those with ADRD. Models accounted for survey weights and adjusted for various demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics.

RESULTS

Black, Asians, and Latinos without cognitive deficits had lower total health care expenditures than whites without cognitive deficits ($10,236, $9497, $9597, and $11,541, respectively). There were no racial and ethnic differences in total health care expenditures among those with cognitive deficits without ADRD and those with ADRD. Across all three groups, however, Blacks, Asians, and Latinos consistently had lower out-of-pocket expenditures than whites (except for Asians with cognitive deficits without ADRD). Furthermore, service-specific health care expenditures varied by racial and ethnic groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study did not find significant racial and ethnic differences in total health care expenditures among Medicare beneficiaries with cognitive deficits and/or ADRD. However, we documented significant differences in out-of-pocket expenditures and service-specific expenditures. We speculated that the differences may be attributable to racial and ethnic differences in access to care and/or preferences based on family structure and cultural/economic factors. Particularly, heterogeneous patterns of service-specific expenditures by racial and ethnic groups underscore the importance of future research in identifying determinants leading to variations in service-specific expenditures among racial and ethnic groups.

Insurance Coverage and Health Care Utilization Among Asian Youth Before and After the Affordable Care Act

OBJECTIVE

We examined changes in insurance coverage and health care utilization associated with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) among subgroups of Asian youth relative to non-Latino white youth.

METHODS

Data were from the 2010 to 2017 American Community Survey and National Health Interview Survey. Difference-in-difference models were used to examine changes in insurance coverage and health care utilization associated with the ACA among subgroups of Asian youth relative to white youth and subgroups of Asian youth in households below 200% of the federal poverty level relative to comparable white youth.

RESULTS

Since the implementation of the ACA, insurance coverage increased among all Asian subgroups and white youth. The magnitude of the increase in insurance coverage was larger among Asian subgroups than white youth. More pronounced increases were found among almost all Asian subgroups in households below 200% federal poverty level. Changes in health care utilization were limited and varied by subgroup. Increases in well-child visits were observed only among Chinese and "other" Asian youth.

CONCLUSIONS

Insurance coverage increased among Asian youth after the implementation of the ACA. Improvements in health care utilization were limited and differed by subgroups. Programs to improve health care utilization should be tailored to Asian youth according to subgroup.

Utilization of essential preventive health services among Asians after the implementation of the preventive services provisions of the Affordable Care Act

Utilization of cost-effective essential preventive health services increased after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) provision that non-grandfathered private insurers provide cost-effective preventive services without cost sharing in 2010. Little is known, however, whether this change is also observed among Asians in the US. We examined patterns of preventive services utilization among Asian subgroups relative to non-Latino whites (whites) after the implementation of the ACA's preventive services provisions. Using 2013-2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, we examined utilization trends in preventive services among Asian Indians, Chinese, Filipinos, and other Asians relative to whites. We also ran logistic regression models to estimate the likelihood of having received each of the seven essential preventive services (routine checkups, flu vaccinations, cholesterol screenings, blood pressure checkups, Papanicolaou "pap" tests, mammograms, and colorectal cancer screenings). Compared to whites, Asians had higher rates of utilization of routine checkups, cholesterol screenings, and flu vaccinations, but they had lower utilization rates of blood pressure checkups, pap tests, and mammograms. The patterns of preventive services utilization differed across the Asian subgroups. All Asian subgroups, except for Filipinos, were less likely to have pap tests or mammograms than whites. Moreover, we observed a decreasing trend in having pap tests, mammograms, or colorectal cancer screenings among all Asian subgroups between 2013 and 2016. Our findings suggest that there are low cancer screening rates across Asian subgroups. This indicates the need for programs tailored to specific Asian subgroups to improve cancer screening.