Although patients know healthcare costs are rising, many do not understand why or how the increase impacts their daily lives, according to research from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (pdf).
RWJF orchestrated a series of eight focus groups in four major U.S. cities: Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C. Four of the focus groups included people with employer-sponsored health insurance, two groups were comprised of people who were self-insured, one group was all Medicare beneficiaries and the final group was uninsured.
Here were some other takeaways from the RWJF's discussions:
• Patients defined "healthcare costs" as their out-of-pocket costs, which include premiums, deductibles, co-pays and other costs taken from their paychecks.
• Participants in the focus groups said increasing healthcare costs were forcing them to cut back in other areas of their lives, such as taking fewer vacations or postponing a major purchase.
• Many participants said they want to understand what their tests and procedures cost before they agree to them. They also believed higher costs for a procedure were tied to the location of a hospital or other facility.
RWJF orchestrated a series of eight focus groups in four major U.S. cities: Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C. Four of the focus groups included people with employer-sponsored health insurance, two groups were comprised of people who were self-insured, one group was all Medicare beneficiaries and the final group was uninsured.
Here were some other takeaways from the RWJF's discussions:
• Patients defined "healthcare costs" as their out-of-pocket costs, which include premiums, deductibles, co-pays and other costs taken from their paychecks.
• Participants in the focus groups said increasing healthcare costs were forcing them to cut back in other areas of their lives, such as taking fewer vacations or postponing a major purchase.
• Many participants said they want to understand what their tests and procedures cost before they agree to them. They also believed higher costs for a procedure were tied to the location of a hospital or other facility.
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