Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Insured Floridians Delay Health Care, Say ER Doctors

Emergency room physicians reported seeing insured patients delay care because of cost.
jscreationzs
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

Florida’s emergency room doctors say they’re seeing patients delay health care—even if they have insurance—

Emergency room physicians reported seeing insured patients delay care because of cost.
Credit jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
/
The Florida Channel
Emergency room physicians reported seeing insured patients delay care because of cost.

according to the results of a survey published by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).

“Patients with health insurance were delaying health care decisions—and delayed medical care—because of their fear of high out-of-pocket expenses, high deductibles or high co-insurance,“ says Dr. Andrew Bern, a South Florida emergency physician and a spokesperson for ACEP.

Among the findings from ER doctors in Florida:

  • 79 percent are seeing patients with health insurance who have delayed seeking medical care because of high out-of-pocket expenses, high deductibles or high co-insurance.
  • 87 percent say primary care physicians send patients to ERs to receive medical tests or procedures when health insurance companies refuse to cover office visits.
  • 91 percent treat patients who have difficulty finding specialists because health plans have narrow networks.

Those numbers were higher than the national averages:

  • 70 percent are seeing patients with health insurance who have delayed seeking medical care because of high out-of-pocket expenses, high deductibles or high co-insurance.
  • 67 percent say primary care physicians send patients to ERs to receive medical tests or procedures when health insurance companies refuse to cover office visits.
  • 81 percent treat patients who have difficulty finding specialists because health plans have narrow networks.

The national studywas released at the nationalACEPmeeting this week in Boston.

Copyright 2020 WLRN 91.3 FM. To see more, visit .

Sammy Mack
Public radio. Public health. Public policy.