(Reuters) – Visit to New York City orthopedist: $223. One X-ray: $50. One follow-up magnetic resonance imaging test: $766. Total bill for checking out that aching shoulder: $1,039 – all to be paid by the patient, rather than the insurer.
Healthcare has gone retail.
Over the next 18 months, between one
quarter and one half of Americans who get insurance coverage through
their employers will pay more of their doctor bills themselves as
companies roll out healthcare plans with higher deductibles, benefits
consultants say. The result: sticker shock.
“They have huge out-of-pocket costs
before they get any insurance coverage, it’s a real slap in the face,”
said Ron Pollack, the executive director of Families USA, a healthcare
advocacy group.
High-deductible plans set a threshold for
medical expenses that an individual must pay for, often in the
thousands of dollars, before insurance kicks in. Studies show people on
these plans are three times more likely to delay or skip care than
people on traditional plans, where doctor or emergency room visits are
covered by a relatively low co-payment.
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