Research continues to raise questions about the true affordability of health insurance available through the public exchange markets. A new study investigated the percent of household income that various demographic groups spend on medical care and, even with exchange insurance, the cost was often substantial.

The study, by an Urban Institute research team, showed that it was not just very low-income people with Obamacare insurance who were spending a high portion of household income on medical care. For instance, older Americans with exchange coverage were spending close to a quarter of their income on medical costs. The percentage was particularly high among those with serious medical problems.

But even people in middle income ranges were often spending nearly 15 percent of income on medical care.