Insurers Responsible for Lower Health Care Costs in Consumers’ Eyes
October 4th, 2010
Chadwick Martin Bailey found consumers believe the confusion over health care reform and high costs of health care should be sorted out by insurers, not the medical industry. The Boston-based market research firm recently released a survey of over a thousand consumers that found most believed health insurance companies not only assume the role of the educator regarding health care, but are also responsible for lowering costs.
Insurers Given Roles of Responsibility
According to the survey, of the 1,504 respondents across various demographics who were questioned, 61 percent of them said insurance companies should be responsible for educating the public about health care reform. The only sector that was given more responsibility for educating the public on changes to reform was the government.
When it came to lowering the costs associated with health care, not health insurance, 75 percent said insurers should do that as well. By contrast, only 34 percent of those surveyed thought medical professionals should be responsible for lowering the costs of health care.
Insurance companies don’t traditionally play a role in how health care itself is billed. They say their industry only responds to health care costs and adjust their health insurance rates accordingly. While the survey didn’t dispute this role, it did note that companies could consider increasing their roles as educators since they have an inside track on the many changes taking place with health care reform.
Who to Reach Out to for Health Care Education
If you are like many of the consumers surveyed and assume that health insurance companies are responsible for providing education as well as lowering costs, it’s time to get educated in both arenas. One of the best places to acquire a wealth of information about health care reform is HealthCare.gov. It offers updates on health care reform in its “Understanding the New Law” section. Also, if you want a better understanding of health care costs, you could visit the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s health care costs section to learn more.
The last thing you want is to walk into the changes of health care reform blindly. So take time to educate yourself so that when much of reform goes into effect, you’ll feel prepared for anything that comes your way.
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Tags: Costs, Health Care
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