WASHINGTON — Over the past year, most Americans have been unpleasantly surprised by hassles with their health care insurance, according to a major nationwide survey.
“A majority of insured adults (58%) say they have experienced a problem using their health insurance in the past 12 months — such as denied claims, provider network problems, and pre-authorization problems,” says a KFF survey of a nationally representative sample of 3,605 U.S. adults with health insurance.
At least half of the consumers within each of four major types of health coverage — employer, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace, and Medicare — reported having a problem using their coverage in the past year, KFF said.
“Most disturbingly, four in 10 insured adults said they went without some care or delayed a type of care during the past year because of cost,” says Katy Talento, executive director of The Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries (The Alliance, ahcsm.org). “Think of heart disease or cancer or any number of other treatable illnesses. The human cost of delays could be devastating.”
“Two-thirds (67%) of adults in fair or poor health experienced problems with their insurance, compared to 56% of adults who say they are in at least ‘good’ physical health,” the KFF survey said. “Notably, about three in four insured adults who received mental health care in the past year, or who use a lot of health care (defined as more than ten provider visits in a year) experienced insurance problems.”
Nearly half of insured adults with insurance problems “were unable to satisfactorily resolve them, with some reporting serious consequences,” KFF said.
“For too long, cheerleaders for the broken status quo have treated health insurance as if it’s some sort of gold standard, albeit an overpriced one. What the KFF survey reminds us is that the reliability of health insurance is only skin-deep — as long as you don’t have to actually use it,” Talento says. “It’s like the counterfeit peace of mind that comes from having an overpriced, underperforming generator in the garage — right up to the moment when the power actually goes out and it leaves your family in the dark. Unlike most Americans trapped in unusable health insurance policies, members of Health Care Sharing Ministries have far greater freedom to choose what’s best for them and their families.”
Health Care Sharing Ministries allow faith-centered people to come together as a community to share each other’s medical expenses.
Members contribute a set monthly amount that is shared with other members to pay their medical bills. Each ministry does this differently. Some have online sharing technology to approve member-to-member sharing of funds. Others have members send individual checks to fellow members. When members go to the doctor, hospital or incur a medical cost, they submit the bill to their community through the ministry. Expenses that meet the ministry’s guidelines are shared by the community and payment is made to the family or directly to the doctor.
“Christians who aren’t happy with current health care choice have an attractive, affordable alternative — Health Care Sharing Ministries,” Talento says. “Health Care Sharing Ministries offer less cost, less red tape and more choices for health care consumers. In addition, members can live out the biblical admonition to show love for one another in practical ways, such as helping with each other’s medical expenses along with prayers and encouragement.”
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries is a 501(c)(6) trade organization representing the common interests of Health Care Sharing Ministries which are facilitating the sharing of health care needs (financial, emotional, and spiritual) by individuals and families, and their participants. The Alliance engages with federal and state regulators, members of the media, and the Christian community to provide accurate and timely information on health care sharing.
To learn more about the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, visit www.ahcsm.org or follow the ministry on Facebook or Twitter.
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To interview a representative from The Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, contact Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105.
To interview a representative from The Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, contact Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105.
