A Morning Consult poll found almost 25 percent of registered American voters reported their medical conditions become worse after they delayed seeking care at an emergency department. Voters said they delayed care because they were worried payers would not cover the costs.
Here are four key takeaways:
1. Since 2010, the number of people enrolled in high-deductible health plans increased by 40 percent, CDC data shows.
2. Thirty-percent of respondents said their health insurance coverage has gotten worse while merely half that figure (15 percent) reported it has gotten better.
3. Twenty-four percent of voters said they lost access to their physicians in the last year due to their payer networks not including those physicians.
4. Thirty-percent of presidents forwent care due to cost concerns.
Jay Kaplan, MD, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, said, "As a physician, it greatly concerns me that people are waiting until their medical conditions deteriorate to seek emergency care, which can have lifelong consequences. Insurance companies are misleading patients by selling so-called 'affordable' policies that cover very little until large deductibles are met, and the companies are blaming medical providers for charges. Many people don't realize this until they need medical care, and then they are shocked at how little their insurance pays."
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