In population health, the extent to which patients understand health terms and concepts can directly affect their health status.
Kaiser Family Foundation conducted a 10-question survey for nearly 1,300 adults to gain insight on health insurance literacy.
Survey results indicate that the majority of adults are familiar with terms and concepts relating to health insurance premiums (79 percent), health plan provider networks (76 percent) and annual health insurance deductible (72 percent).
- However, only 51 percent of respondents could calculate out-of-pocket costs for a hospital stay with a deductible and a co-pay.
- 33 percent of respondents could define a health insurance formulary (53 percent said they did not know the definition).
- 16 percent could calculate out-of-pocket costs for an out-of-network lab test when the payer contributes a portion of allowed charges.
Participants who scored lower on the test tended to be younger, uninsured and with lower levels of education.
- For example, 93 percent of participants who were college graduates correctly identified a provider network, compared to 60 percent of participants with a high school education or less.
- Four in 10 respondents between ages 18 and 29 could properly calculate out-of-pocket costs for a hospital stay with a co-pay and deductible, compared to more than half of adults over 30.
- Fifty-seven percent of uninsured adults could correctly define a health insurance premium, compare to 83 percent of adults with coverage.
"As more people gain insurance under the ACA, these individuals may need extra help navigating their plans, particularly if they are becoming insured for the first time," the survey report reads. "Levels of health insurance literacy may rise as more people have access to, learn to navigate and use health insurance."
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