Thirty-five percent of patients with outstanding medical bills on their record admit to having fear about their debt potentially increasing upon seeking health care services, according to a new survey by TransUnion Healthcare.
"It's scary and sad to know people are forgoing their physical and mental health for fear that they'll ruin their financial health with medical treatment," Jonathan Wiik, principal of health care strategy for TransUnion Healthcare, told HealthCareDive.
Revealed through data recently released, half of respondents admitted the economy had at least some impact on how they approached medical care.
The general responses may reflect the perspective of nearly 3 million people who have lost employer-sponsored health insurance due to COVID-19, according to HealthCareDive. The job losses were a result of the pandemic, which increased financial pressure on health care systems and patients struggling with higher costs.
The report notes that 70% of patients have found that knowing the cost of a medical procedure prior to receiving care allows them to prepare for the investment, while 65% stated they’d be willing to make a partial payment in advance, as long as an estimated cost is communicated. These findings have prompted the industry to make an effort toward enforcing hospital price transparency rules.
