Delayed Medical Care & Surprising Statistics
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, there was a notable decrease in employees pursuing elective procedures, preventive care, primary care appointments, and emergency room visits due to COVID-19. Chronically ill patients avoided going to the doctor’s office not only for COVID protection, but because of serious pandemic effects including financial barriers, difficulties involved in seeing a doctor, and lack of care coordination.
- 40% of U.S. adults reported delaying medical care during the pandemic to reduce their chances of catching COVID-19. An even higher proportion of those with disabilities, or two or more underlying conditions, stopped going to the doctor.1
Because of this trend in delayed medical care (DMC), there has been a steep decline in patient health and wellbeing that has led to some serious consequences such as a drastic increase in the instances of pre-pandemic treatable/curable cancers that went undiagnosed, a higher severity of newly diagnosed patients, and worsening complication rates for those with existing chronic conditions that went untreated during the pandemic.
- At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 12,601 cancers went undetected and there was a 34% drop in the average number of new cases of cancer diagnosed per week.2
- 56% of surveyed clinicians reported an increase in negative health burdens due to delayed or inaccessible care.3
While the pandemic may have kept some patients from visiting their physicians, what is even more concerning is that an inability to pay for treatment (because of this year’s high inflation) will continue to keep many more from getting the ongoing care they need.
As prices continue to reach record highs, employees have been forced to make tough decisions that sacrifice their health and wellbeing. From postponing wellness visits and screenings, to skimping on critical treatments and medication, employees are making financial trade-offs that no employer wants their employees to make.
- 65% are looking to cut discretionary spending, focusing instead on necessities.4
- 28% of employees put off a screening or wellness check.4
- 14% postponed a necessary medical procedure or delayed filling a prescription.4
- 1 in 10 adults have decreased their retirement plan contributions in the past year.5
Employees are not only avoiding medical care because of financial stress (i.e., high deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket costs); employees lack benefits literacy. Without a clear understanding of how their benefits work or what types of care can help safeguard their health and finances in the long term, delayed medical care will continue to have negative effects on both employees and employers.
- 14% of Americans say they are considering downgrading their health insurance plan because of high inflation.5
As we enter the new year, employers should be prepared for increased plan costs and a surge in claims for both chronic and catastrophic conditions.
- Medical plan costs are expected to increase by 7.5% in 2023.6
- 90% of health care costs are driven by chronic conditions.1
Employers can set aside extra funds to offset the anticipated claims spikes and overall cost increases, but how do employers help employees manage these increases in cost?
Tools to Heal Employees & Manage Costs
Employees highly value their benefits, but they will continue to struggle with healthcare costs and using the right tools to better manage them unless employers step in to help. Here are some powerful tools to help improve the health of your chronically ill plan members, while reducing your healthcare spending (many of these tools are provided through your carrier):
- Telemedicine and Telehealth for chronic conditions and mental/behavioral health.
- Mental Health Services to demonstrate that you care about your employees as individuals and are committed to their overall wellbeing.
- Chronic Illness Management Tools designed specifically for health plan members, to allow employees to self-manage their conditions (such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure).
- Remote/at-home/virtual testing devices to address chronic conditions.
- Direct Primary Care Benefit that includes a primary care physician, onsite and near-site clinics, and virtual doctor visits. Physicians can attend plan member enrollment meetings so that employees can hear about their benefits from the health care professionals who will be administrators.
- Specialty Care Management Nurses (Nurse Advice Lines) who are in regular contact with employees, advocating for them with health care providers, educating them on diet and exercise, and coaching them to make better choices that will affect their future.
- Vendor-to-vendor Partnerships with good communication, ongoing support, guidance, and resources is critical if plan members are to adopt new benefits.
- Accuhealth (a diabetes management platform) emphasizes communications and follow-up with patients.
- Financial Professionals to help employees create a plan that prioritizes their health care needs now and in retirement.
- Retirement Planning
- Plan Design Features such as dependent eligibility, wellness initiatives, and high-deductible health plans that appeal to savers and entice employees to start saving for future health care needs. Ensure you benefits package is aligned with your workforce culture.
- Technology to help deliver better education and enhanced options to save for current and future costs and to help employees understand healthcare accounts.
- Healthcare Accounts are key to affordability, savings, and preparedness as they help employees balance their choice of healthcare plan with appropriate saving for out-of-pocket costs.
- Comprehensive Education to better understand their benefits, coverage, and other financial tools to help pay for expenses.
And, if you really want to reduce your healthcare spend and improve healthcare outcomes, you need to think long-term and holistically. Employers can do this by reducing or eliminating financial barriers to care, building improvements on the way employees interact with their benefits, focusing the health plan on preventative services, providing choices that are meaningful to plan members, and driving awareness through consistent communications and incentives. Incentivizing plan members to utilize preventative care will help to reduce claims and improve plan affordability over time.
Sources:
- Health care industry prepares for a big hit from delayed medical care of chronic diseases
- COVID-19 Has Created a Backlog of Undiagnosed Cancers
- Chronic conditions, other health issues have worsened during the pandemic, physician survey finds
- Employees are putting off health care needs due to financial stress: Report
- High inflation hits health care: Americans skimping on critical treatment, meds
- How employers will control high health care costs in 2023
