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Examining Hypertension's Financial Impact: Analyzing Individual Expenditure Using MEPS and Interviews

Lydia Ogbadu-Oladapo*, Cheran Ratnam, Kossi Bissadu

This study examines the healthcare costs associated with hypertension from 2018 to 2020 using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) supplemented by interviews with 30 participants. The findings suggest that individuals with hypertension face varying monthly treatment expenses and highlights significant disparities in out-of-pocket healthcare expenses among different racial and ethnic groups, with Black and Asian individuals tending to spend more on healthcare treatment than Hispanic and White individuals. The results underscore the challenges faced by these groups in managing the financial burden of hypertension. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the important role of health insurance in mitigating medication expenses and reducing barriers to healthcare access, with evidence suggesting that uninsured individuals face difficulty accessing healthcare services and encounter elevated healthcare costs. These findings underscore the urgent need for equality and fairness in healthcare, particularly in addressing the financial barriers faced by certain racial and ethnic groups in managing hypertension-related expenses.