Silver Book Fact
Out-of-pocket spending on health care tends to rise with income. Medicare beneficiaries with incomes above 400% of poverty spent an average of $3,785, which is the highest among the income categories presented, while those with incomes below 135% of poverty spent the least.
Caplan C, Brangan N. Out-of-Pocket Spending on Health Care by Medicare Beneficiaries Age 65 and Older in 2003. Washington, DC: AARP; 2004. http://www.aarp.org/research/medicare/outofpocket/aresearch-import-912-DD101.html