Well, well, well . . . if it isn’t the pot calling the kettle black.
A new poll revealed that most American consumers are dissatisfied with their health insurance plans. You don’t say!
Now, the poll was backed by Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the largest lobbying group of our nation’s pharmaceutical industry, which doesn’t exactly have a sterling reputation, either.
Regardless, the report has some interesting findings:
Of the 2,510 American adults polled…
- 39% have worried about paying for health care treatment if their family needs it
- 31% have avoided going to the doctor because of the cost
- 43% have found it difficult to navigate their health insurance coverage
- 43% of people who take prescription medications have themselves or their families faced at least one insurance barrier to their care
Can’t say we’re surprised — we can’t imagine that the industry that’s famous for putting its wealth over patient’s health is garnering much goodwill.
Consumers are fed up with paying (expensive!) health insurance premiums every month that seem to cover less and less, if anything at all. From prescriptions and procedures to mental healthcare and emergency visits, we’re constantly covering patients who discover too late that needed medical care is going to be out-of-network or out-of-pocket.
According to the report, “ninety-two percent of Democrats and 84% of Republicans want lawmakers to crack down on what they consider to be attempts by health insurance companies that make it harder for them to get the care they need.”
We concur! But while we appreciate the sentiment of the report, it’s just another round of the blame game. Big Pharma blames insurers and Big Insurer blames hospitals. Meanwhile, hospitals are stuck trying to provide high-quality care and medication to the patients who need them – no easy feat in the current economic environment.
It’s a situation with serious stakes, because in the end, insurer roadblocks to care can cost patients their lives.
