Our Focus

Our Focus – 2023 Perspective of Partnership for Better Healthcare.

As we venture further into the 2020s, health care costs remain on an alarming upward trajectory, compelling consumers to bear an even greater share of the financial burden. Today’s landscape reveals escalated out-of-pocket expenses in various shapes and forms – from soaring premiums to daunting deductibles, and increased cost-sharing for a broad spectrum of health services. Compounding this is the often opaque nature of these costs, and the factors underpinning them. This lack of transparency has ushered in a climate of unpredictable and, often, insurmountable expenses. The ripple effects? Hindered access to vital care and compromised health outcomes. Partnership for better health looks to assist individuals by providing resources and information on healthcare.

Such escalating costs aren’t confined to any singular sector of health care but span its entirety, leading to a phenomenon known as cost shifting. Delving into the roots of these persistent increases, we find a tangled web of factors—spanning both in-patient and out-patient costs.

Assistance Navigating Healthcare

A mere decade ago, a 2014 Gallup poll highlighted a concerning trend: 1 in 3 Americans were delaying medical treatments for themselves or family members, largely influenced by financial constraints. Surprisingly, treatments for severe conditions were even more frequently postponed than those for milder issues. The unsustainable tactic of continually shifting costs onto patients demands reevaluation.

Transitioning to the more recent landscape, studies exemplify the growing concern. Updated research indicates that the numbers of underinsured individuals have ballooned since 2014. Underinsurance now affects a considerable portion of those who believe they are adequately covered. Key findings include:

  • A substantial number of underinsured individuals continue to grapple with the repercussions of medical bills, with many sinking into prolonged medical debt.
  • The percentage of individuals with high deductibles, relative to their income, has surged dramatically over the past decade.
  • Alarmingly, nearly half of the respondents compromised their health by avoiding essential medical visits, foregoing prescribed medications, skipping vital tests, or neglecting specialist recommendations.

In the face of these challenges, our focus remains steadfast: to empower, educate, and advocate for a more transparent, equitable, and sustainable health care system, especially for our Autism community. Read our article: Tips to help your autistic child thrive. The health and well-being of every individual should never be compromised by systemic cost barriers.