Americans with short-term health plans could face significant out-of-pocket medical bills for five conditions, according to research from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Actuarial firm Milliman completed the study, which analyzed out-of-pocket medical costs for patients with lymphoma, heart attack, lung cancer, diabetes and mental health hospitalizations.
Patients with short-term health plans receiving a new lymphoma diagnosis could face between $23,100 and $45,800 in out-of-pocket expenses, including premiums and cost-sharing, in the six months after diagnosis. In comparison, the same person with an ACA-compliant plan could pay $6,300 on average in out-of-pocket expenses, the study found.
Costs are higher for newly diagnosed lung cancer patients with short-term health plans. Those patients could face more than $100,000 in out-of-pocket expenses in the six months after diagnosis, should the patient be unable to renew their plan and become uninsured.
Read the full report here.
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