Obamacare was supposed to help patients become better
healthcare consumers by allowing them to shop for high deductible health plans
at lower cost. High deductible health plans are sold as a way for consumers to take
greater control over managing their medical costs, but new research shows people on those plans are no
better at price shopping for health care professionals or services than people
on traditional insurance. The study surveyed more than 1,000 “high
deductible" health insurance enrollees of which 71% believe out of pocket
costs were important to consider when choosing a doctor. They compared this to
852 enrollees traditional of “low deductible” plans and they had the exact same
perspective. The researchers also found that during their last use of medical
care, the “high deductible” plan enrollees were no more likely than traditional
plan enrollees to consider going to another professional for care or to compare
out of pocket costs across health care professionals. They concluded that
“having more skin in the game” makes no difference on how consumers shop for
health care and insurance.
If you need help understanding your health insurance as
it relates to any aspect of eye care service we provide please do not hesitate
to ask us by calling Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, Google+ or facebook.com/doctorandassociates
to schedule an appointment.
Doctor & Associates offices are located at 129 Kings
Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton,
Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.
