A new study by Madaket Health found that insured Americans delay or skip essential health care due to rising costs and complexity of coverage. Many younger Americans are actually going out of their way to pay for care themselves.
When it comes to delaying care, the study found that nearly half (47%) of Americans admit to putting off health care services due to barriers of cost. Millennials (78%) are most likely to put off health services, compared to 56% of Generation X and 30% of baby boomers. The majority (74%) are also likely to delay care if their provider is out-of-network.
When it comes to routine specialist care, such as a dermatologist or eye doctor, nearly a quarter (24%) of respondents said they delayed visits, revealing that preventative medical care and regular screenings may not be occurring as recommended.
“Our survey revealed some difficult truths about our fractured health care system. The fact that so many people are delaying care if their preferred provider is out-of-network highlights the importance of data accuracy,” said Madaket Health CEO Eric Demers. “When provider information is outdated or incorrect, patients can’t reliably identify affordable, in-network options, leading to unnecessary delays and higher costs.”
The survey found that not only are Americans putting off care if their provider is out-of-network, but some are also going out of their way to pay for it themselves. According to the data, more than one-third (38%) of respondents have sought out and opted to pay out of pocket for a service that was either out-of-network or not covered by insurance. Nearly 68% of millennials reported taking this approach compared to 44% of Gen X and 21% of boomers.
While millennials are reportedly more open than older generations to new ways of accessing health care, certain digital services are catching up as 60% of survey respondents admitted to using online or app-based health care services. Of online services, the most popular across generations included online prescriptions (28%), and virtual primary care (24%).