Consumers’ Health Plan Satisfaction Linked to Out-of-Pocket Costs

Consumers' out-of-pocket spending is significantly linked to their satisfaction with their health plans, according to a survey by the Employee Benefits Research Institute and Greenwald & Associates, Kaiser Health News reports.

Survey Details

Researchers surveyed 3,887 people. Respondents were divided into three categories:

• Individuals with consumer-driven plans that had a deductible of at least $1,250 for individual coverage or $2,500 for family coverage and had a health savings account or similar means of saving;
• Consumers with high-deductible plans with the same deductible thresholds but no savings account; and
• Individuals with traditional plans that had lower deductibles.

Survey Findings

The survey found individuals with traditional plans in 2014 were more satisfied overall with their coverage. Of such individuals, 61% reported they were extremely or very satisfied, compared with 46% of those with consumer-driven plans and 37% with high-deductible plans.

Meanwhile, 48% of respondents with traditional plans reported being extremely or very satisfied with how much they paid out of pocket for health care, not including prescription medications. In contrast, 26% of respondents with consumer-driven plans and 19% of those with high-deductible plans were extremely or very satisfied.

Sixty-eight percent of those with traditional and 66% of those with consumer-driven plans reported being extremely or very satisfied with their quality of care, compared with 56% for those with high-deductible plans.

When asked about appointment availability, 66% of individuals with traditional plans said they were extremely or very satisfied, while 65% of individuals with consumer-driven plans and 54% of individuals with high-deductible plans were extremely or very satisfied (Andrews, Kaiser Health News, 7/24).