The Study Shows the Negative Impact of Health Insurance Deductibles & Copays; Biggest Concerns Include Those with Chronic Illnesses Deferring Needed Care, Failing to Fill Prescriptions, and Racking Up Medical Debt When Avoiding Care is Not an Option
A new survey of San Antonians finds that more than half of working San Antonians (57%) with employer-sponsored health insurance say they would have trouble covering health insurance out-of-pocket costs (OOP) in the event they had a major medical event or were diagnosed with a chronic illness. Of those, 38% say their OOPs are expensive and might have to use savings or credit cards to cover the cost of care, while 19% couldn't afford to get health care at all if they were seriously ill, even with health insurance.
As a result of these concerns around the cost of care, 56% of these insured respondents have deferred seeing a physician or specialist in the last 12 months, because they were worried about paying for it, and 61% report non-adherence to prescription medicines. Further, this trend of deferring care heightens among those who need care most; individuals who describe having average to poor health (64%) and patients with chronic conditions (52%).
Curative Insurance Company recently commissioned this survey of San Antonians enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance plans* to understand the extent to which the burden of out-of-pocket costs (deductibles, copays, and co-insurance) impact the overall health and well-being of San Antonians and, specifically, their choices regarding seeking appropriate care.
Among the other startling findings, many insured San Antonians have had to cut back spending on food, clothing, or basic household items (22%) or been forced to borrow money from family or friends (18%) to cover the cost of care. One in five insured San Antonians (19%) say they simply couldn’t afford to get the health care they needed if they were seriously ill, even though they have employer-sponsored health insurance. In addition, those who depend on health insurance the most, such as those with chronic conditions, are significantly more likely to have outstanding debt for medical expenses (51% vs 33% others).
Not only are San Antonians with health insurance struggling with out-of-pocket costs but many are also confused about which healthcare services are covered. If they find out what’s covered, they struggle to anticipate costs. For example, 53% say that they can’t anticipate the out-of-pocket expense for healthcare services even if the services are covered by their insurance.
“The survey findings support the main reason why we created the Curative health plan, so our members could actually use their benefits when they need to and can rest assured they will receive care without the potential of going into medical debt,” said Fred Turner, CEO and co-founder of Curative. “Curative believes all of our members deserve access to everyday health care services without the financial worries associated with additional out-of-pocket costs. That means Curative members have $0 copays, $0 deductibles, and $0 drug options for nearly every condition**.”
The Curative health plan is now available in San Antonio and across Texas to employers and their employees. To learn more about Curative and its new health care plan, visit https://curative.com/.
*To ensure the representation of key demographic variables, quotas were applied when selecting the sample, and the final data was weighted using the latest Census data through a post-stratification, RIM weighting methodology across demographic variables. The sample included 401 insured adults aged 18 years and above residing in the San Antonio MSA who voluntarily took part in the survey.
**Every Curative member qualifies for the $0 deductible or copay for in-network care and preferred prescriptions by completing a Baseline Visit within 120 days of the plan effective date. See curative.com to learn more. Curative Insurance Company PPO.
About Curative
Curative is a leading health care services company with an AM-Best rating of A- that has created and launched a first-of-its-kind employer-based health insurance plan. Co-founded by CEO Fred Turner and CTO Isaac Turner (no relation) in 2020, Curative is reengineering health insurance by providing unmatched simplicity and cost transparency with a competitive monthly premium and zero out-of-pocket costs*. Curative is remaking our health care system into one that works for and supports members’ whole health and well-being through every step of their personal health journey. Previously, Curative and its managed medical entities were national leaders bringing COVID-19 testing and vaccine-administration resources to bear in response to the pandemic. For more information on Curative, visit https://curative.com/, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
*To qualify, members need to complete a Baseline Visit within 120 days of the plan's effective date, which kicks off support of the member’s well-being through every step of their health journey.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230523005361/en/
Contacts
Pasquale Gianni
press@curative.com
