The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) has recently released the results from its 2020 KFF Women’s Health Survey.
Women’s access to health care depends greatly on the availability of high-quality providers in their communities as well as their own knowledge about maintaining their health through routine checkups, screenings, and provider counseling. Social determinants of health, structural racism, and experiences with health care providers shape health outcomes and health equity.
While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded pathways to affordable coverage to millions of women, coverage and affordability barriers persist for many. Women with health insurance may experience difficulty affording health care. Many insured women face health care costs in the form of cost sharing or balance billing resulting from receiving care from an out-of-network provider or hospital, which can also impact their financial well-being. The ACA contains provisions aimed at alleviating some of the financial barriers to health care access; however, many women still face challenges with health care costs and medical bills, particularly those who are uninsured or low-income.
This brief presents findings from the 2020 KFF Women’s Health Survey on women’s use of health care services, costs, and experiences accessing health care. The 2020 survey is a nationally representative survey of 3,661 women ages 18 to 64, conducted between November 19 and December 17, 2020.
Source: KFF
