A new study from University of Washington Medicine says that around 4 in 10 patients who have a surgical procedure in the U.S. experience financial hardship.
Published in JAMA Surgery, the study claims that private insurance does not provide sufficient coverage for low-income patients.
“We’re moving away from funding Medicaid by reducing eligibility and privatizing public insurance models like Medicare Advantage,” lead author and surgical resident at the UW School of Medicine, Alexandra Hernandez said.
“Private insurers are raising deductibles and sharing more costs with patients. All of this points to more Americans being vulnerable to financial insecurity after surgery,” she said.
The study said low-income patients with private insurance are experiencing the second-highest burden, behind patients without insurance.
Also, patients requiring emergency surgery are bearing the brunt of financial hardships compared to those undergoing planned surgeries.
“When you plan for surgery, you can prepare financially, go through preauthorization with insurance, and potentially save money in advance to prepare,” Hernandez said.