Health Insurance

This report presents findings from the 2022 KFF Women's Health Survey (WHS) on women's health status, use of health care services, and costs.

Larger shares of women with low incomes (18%) and those who are uninsured (22%) say their telehealth care was better than in-person care than women with higher incomes (10%) and those with private insurance (10%). Among the 27% of women and 23% of men who have had problems paying medical bills in the past 12 months, similar shares have had to set up a payment plan to pay off the bill (65% of women and 68% of men); used up all or most of their savings (62% of women and 69% of men); been contacted by a collection agency (61% of women and 56% of men); and had difficulty paying for basic necessities (52% of women and 53% of men) (Table 4). For example, among women, more women with private insurance (individual or employer-sponsored plans) (34%) than women with Medicaid (21%) say their plan did not cover medical care they thought was covered, or paid less than expected, in the past 12 months. Among women ages 18-49 who had a telehealth visit in the past two years, 2% say prenatal or postpartum care was the primary purpose for the most recent telehealth, including 2% of those ages 18-25, 4% of those ages 26-35, and 5% of those ages 36-49 (data not shown). Among women ages 18-25 who had a telehealth visit in the past two years, three in ten (29%) say the primary purpose for their most recent telehealth visit was mental health services, compared to just 10% of women ages 50-64. Among women ages 18-64 who had a telehealth visit in the past two years, nearly two in ten (18%) say the primary purpose for their visit was for an annual check-up or well-visit, minor illness or injury, or mental health services (Table 2). Women living in rural areas are less likely than those living in urban areas to have had a telehealth visit with a health care provider (49% vs. Nearly all women (95%) have seen a doctor or health care provider in the past two years (Figure 8). More women ages 50-64 (88%), White (84%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (83%) women, women with higher incomes (85%), and those with private health insurance (86%) rely on an office-based physician for their regular care than their counterparts (Table 1). Women who live in a [state](https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/status-of-state-medicaid-expansion-decisions-interactive-map/) that expanded Medicaid are more likely to have a usual source of care than women in states that have not expanded Medicaid (83% vs. Even though more uninsured women (23%) rate their health as fair or poor than insured women (17%), a higher share of insured women (65%) (data not shown) report taking take a prescription medication than uninsured women (43%). A larger share of Black (22%) and Hispanic (20%) women report being in fair or poor health than White (16%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (13%) women.