8 Ways to Help Patients Navigate Healthcare Costs

While employees’ wages have remained mostly stagnant, family insurance premiums for employer health plans have increased 20% since 2011. Furthermore, more than 50% of individuals have a plan with a deductible of $1,000 or higher per month, says Joan Budden, MPA, president and chief executive officer, Priority Health, a health insurer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Consequently, four in 10 insured adults say they struggle to afford their deductible.

Historically, the cost of health services has been hidden behind a cloak of secrecy. In some cases, people avoid getting necessary care because they don’t think they can afford it, Budden says. Other times, they pay more than necessary because they weren’t aware that lower cost options were available.