The case of disability in the family: Impact on health care utilization and expenditures for nondisabled members

Families with a disabled member undergo heightened emotional and financial stress, which can arise from caring for the person with one or more disabil ities over the life course or at the end of life. Because health care resou rces are strained by the needs of the disabled family member, nondisabled m embers are often limited in health care access and utilization when they ar e most in need of care. This analysis uses the National Medical Expenditure Survey to describe families with disabled members, based on multiple defin itions of disability, and to examine health care utilization and expenditur es by nondisabled family members. Indications of higher use of medical care by adult, nondisabled members of such families support the frequent report s in the literature of stress occurring in these situations. The signals of a household rationing effect for families near and at poverty levels shoul d alert policy makers to consider the needs of the whole family when creati ng or modifying assistance programs.