Survey confirms what most consumers already know: Out-of-pocket health care costs increase with age

Health care costs are rising and many Americans are shelling out hundreds of dollars each year out of pocket.

A survey from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) shows that in 2014, consumers with health care expenses paid an average of $688 out of pocket.

Several factors influence those expenses, including whether you’re insured, what your coverage entails and how often you seek medical care.

The $688 average increased with age, ranging from $288 for children younger than 18 to $1,253 for people age 65 and older.

The survey shows that the uninsured paid the highest proportion of total health care expenses out of pocket. Meanwhile, people with public health insurance, primarily Medicaid, and the elderly with Medicare and other public insurance coverage paid the lowest proportions.

How have you been personally affected by rising health care costs? Share your story with Voices for Affordable Health.