Use of Health Care Services and Access Issues by Type of Health Plan: Findings from the EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey

This paper examines the impact of plan type, medical homes, and income on use of health care services. It also examines differences in the use of health services within the CDHP population. Data from the 2005-2007 EBRI/Commonwealth Fund Consumerism in Health Care Survey and the 2008-2012 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey are used for the analysis. In 2012, 26-40 percent of respondents reported some type of access-to-health-care issue for either themselves or family members. Individuals in consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) and high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) were more likely than individuals with traditional coverage to report access issues. Findings from the survey indicate that individuals in HDHPs were more likely than individuals with traditional coverage to report that they or family members did not fill prescriptions or skipped doses to make the medication last longer or that they delayed or avoided getting health care due to cost. Overall, 40 percent of those in an HDHP reported some type of access issue, compared with 26 percent among those with traditional coverage. Nearly 4 in 10 (38 percent) of those with a CDHP reported some type of access issue, statistically higher than those with traditional coverage. Individuals in households with less than $50,000 in annual income were more likely than those in households with $50,000 or more in annual income to report access issues. Very few differences in access issues were found by whether employers contributed to the account, but access issues were found by the level of contribution. Length of time with the account had an impact on access issues, with 2012 being the first year where it was found that more years with the account were more likely to be associated with access issues. Overall, individuals in HDHPs and CDHPs were more likely than those with traditional coverage to report access issues, both for those with and without medical homes. The PDF for the above title, published in the June 2013 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another June 2013 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: “What a Sustained Low-yield Rate Environment Means for Retirement Income Adequacy: Results From the 2013 EBRI Retirement Security Projection Model.®”