Cost and choice: Key concerns for women
Cost and choice: Key concerns for women
Women consumers are more concerned about the cost of health care and the freedom to choose their doctors than they are about quality, a Prudential Healthcare survey shows.
In a poll of 1,437 women, 89% said they consider how high premiums and co-payments are when choosing a health plan. Less than one third of the respondents look at how plans rank in terms of quality.
Other findings:
• Only 35% take into account whether their health plan is accredited by an independent organization.
• Only 22% weigh whether the plan publishes report cards on its practitioners’ performances.
• Roughly 32% want to know if the plan does research to improve members’ health.
• Less than half are concerned about special programs for chronic ailments such as asthma and high blood pressure.
For the women polled, freedom to choose a doctor and a wide selection of doctors to choose from is a higher priority than quality.
• Nearly 66% factor in how easy it is to switch doctors in the health plan.
• About 48% want to know if their children’s doctors are in the plan’s network.
The survey was conducted for Prudential by Women’s Healthcare Consultants, Evanston, IL.
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