Old-fashioned insurance companies place a burden on you that is heavier than just financial costs. They can also weigh down your doctor, your health, and your calendar with unnecessary delays.
With traditional insurance, you often have to wait for the insurance company to provide its authorization before seeking treatment, which can delay care and may even lead to worse health outcomes. The unnecessary delays can last for days or weeks!
This process may make you feel anxious as you await the green light for next steps. It also burdens your physician as they try to care for you in the meantime.
A 2021 survey from the American Medical Association asked physicians about waiting for prior authorization for patient care, and here’s what it found:
- Nearly every physician (94%) stated that prior authorization by insurance companies delayed their patients’ care.
- 90% expressed that these delays ultimately had a negative impact on their patients’ health.
- Almost as many, 85%, said the burden associated with getting prior authorization from an insurance company is “high or extremely high.”
Delays and Worsening Conditions Cost Money
The study also found that these delays in care may cost you more money! Specifically, it found the following:
- 40% of physicians have dedicated staff who work on getting these authorizations from insurance companies. (More staff means those offices have to charge more for their services.)
- One-third (30%) noted that delays have contributed to “serious adverse events” for patients — such as hospitalization (21%), life-threatening situations (18%), or permanent disabilities (9%).
These delays caused by waiting on insurance companies are realities for far too many people. Fortunately for you, that’s not the case with your Health Access Benefit.
A Better, Faster Solution
With your Health Access Benefit, you’re in charge of your health care. That means you can immediately access the care you need without waiting for an insurance company to approve the request. Both you and your doctor will be relieved!
If you are referred to another medical office as a part of your care, remember that you may save money on those services by being a “cash pay” patient. If you are receiving a qualifying preventive medical service, you may even be reimbursed (up to 100%) through your preventive care!
Curious about how this works? Read how we helped this soccer family find cheaper solutions without compromising necessary, timely treatment.
Your Health Access Benefit is designed to keep you and your family healthy. Prompt medical treatment is just one of the ways that it provides your family with world-class care!