Financial Concerns Are Not The Primary Barrier To Health Care In America
It’s not just about money – Americans Face Barriers to Health Care Beyond Cost. A study released recently in Health Services Research found that while financial concerns prevent 18% of Americans from getting needed health care, more Americans – 21% – delay health care for nonfinancial reasons. These barriers include getting to the doctor, getting a timely appointment and taking time out of other responsibilities. Lead author Jeffrey Kullgren, M.D. adds what he believes is the crux of the issue: “We need to think about how to organize the existing resources we have in ways that are going to improve access to care.”
In Would You Lie to Your Own Doctor?, Connie Midey of The Arizona Republic reports on a common practice that can “compromise [doctors’] ability to diagnose and treat patients effectively.” The reason? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Prepared Patient Forum: What It Takes Blog*