The study was based on a database of close to 15 million Californians aged 21 and older who had outpatient surgery, emergencyroomtreatment or inpatient hospital care between 2005 and 2009.
Catastrophic policies often cover many outpatient expenses such as X-ray and lab costs, emergencyroom fees for illness or injury, outpatient surgery facility and hospital fees, CAT scans, MRIs, radiation treatment and chemotherapy.