Many healthcare advocates have continually argued making patients more responsible for their healthcare dollars will lower over-utilization of services, according to Huffington Post.
However, research shows over-utilization by patients is not the underlying cause of healthcare inflation.
Here are six findings:
1. A Commonwealth Fund Biennial Health Insurance survey found more cost-sharing through co-payments, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs lead many patients to either delay or forgo care. The researchers concluded patient cost-sharing resulted in the under- use of appropriate care.
2. Physicians order the majority of healthcare services, with nearly 33 percent of such services deemed unnecessary, inappropriate or harmful, according to Health Affairs.
http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/early/2002/02/13/hlthaff.w2.96/suppl/DC1
3. Patients cannot afford necessary healthcare, even with health insurance. A 2015 Commonwealth Fund report found nearly 25 percent of privately insured working-age individuals found healthcare costs unaffordable. More than 50 percent of people with incomes 200 percent below the federal poverty level found healthcare unaffordable.
4. As hospitals increasingly employ physicians, physicans will feel pressure to provide more services to increase the hospital's bottom line. Currently, hospitals or health systems employ nearly 66 percent of U.S. physicians.
5. A 2014 Commonwealth Fund report found cost deterred nearly 33 percent of privately insured, working age Americans with a medical problem from seeking care.
6. Nearly 16 million Americans with chronic conditions did not seek medical care due to high out-of-pocket costs.
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