Insurance coverage reduces but does not eliminate cost barriers for asthma care.
National estimates show that Americans with asthma are more likely to have health insurance than those without asthma. Among those with asthma, more children had health insurance coverage for the full year than adults. Coverage for children ranged from 89.3% in Arizona to 99.9% in Massachusetts and for adults from 77.8% in Texas to 96.7% in the District of Columbia.
Both children and adults with asthma report cost barriers to health care, including not being able to afford asthma medication, to see a primary care doctor or asthma specialist. More adults aged 18-64 years report cost barriers, compared to children or adults aged 65 + years. For all age categories, the proportion of those reporting cost barriers is higher for those with no or partial year coverage, compared to those with full-year coverage.