SANTA CLARA, Calif.,
May 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/
-- Today eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) released the inaugural
edition of its bi-annual signature research series: Health
Insurance Trends. The report presents an analysis of survey
responses and first-hand interviews collected from more than 4,700
consumers and two dozen insurers across three megatrends that
dominate the health care market today: COVID-19, Technology and
Innovation, and Public Policy Reforms.
Hundreds of millions of Americans have felt the impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic, not only in their personal lives but also in how
they interact with health care. As the pandemic begins to wind
down, the health care market approaches a turning point in its
digital transformation and is entering a promising new era: health
care delivery is expanding online, new technologies are unleashing
innovation, and there is a fresh vitality in the Medicare and
Affordable Care Act (ACA) markets that could lead to significant
expansions.
Key Findings
On public policy issues:
- 60% favor expanding access to Medicare in some form,
whether that means making Medicare available to all Americans
(28%), lowering the eligibility age to 60 (18%), or allowing adults
age 50+ to buy in early (14%).
- 49% say Medicare should continue to be run through
public/private cooperation between government and insurers;
only 16% feel that the government alone should run the Medicare
program.
- 74% say the federal government should directly negotiate
with drug makers to lower costs; among Medicare beneficiaries,
86% feel the same.
Insights from insurers:
- 52% of insurers say they do not anticipate raising rates due
to the COVID pandemic; 39% do anticipate raising rates, but no
more than 5%.
- 33% of insurers are likely to make changes to plan
benefits as a result of the pandemic, with 86% of those saying
changes are likely to their telehealth and mental health
benefits.
- 55% of insurers report a 50% or greater increase in
utilization of telehealth benefits over the period before the
pandemic; many report an increase in use of mental health
benefits.
On COVID, vaccines and surprise medical bills:
- 69% say they've had a surprise medical bill, but among
these 67% say the bill was a surprise because they didn't
understand how their coverage worked. Among Medicare beneficiaries,
fewer (54%) report having a surprise medical bill in the past.
- Most (54%) say being vaccinated for COVID should not be
required by law, but a similar figure (53%) say proof of
vaccination should be required for all air travel (domestic and
international).
- After the pandemic is over, half (51%) are less likely to go
on a cruise, while about a third are less likely to attend a
concert (36%), go to a movie theater (35%), travel by plane (34%)
or eat at a restaurant (33%).
On the intersection of technology and health
care:
- 54% say they would opt to share their personal medical
claims history with a licensed agent if it helped them find a
better health plan for their personal needs and budget; 59% of
Medicare beneficiaries feel the same.
- 49% say private enterprise does a better job than government
when it comes to health care innovation, while 20% say
government is better; those figures are 53% and 14%, respectively,
among Medicare beneficiaries.
Read the full report for deeper analysis and
additional information.
About eHealth
eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) operates a leading health insurance
marketplace at eHealth.com and eHealthMedicare.com with technology
that provides consumers with health insurance enrollment solutions.
Since 1997, we have connected more than 8 million members with
quality, affordable health insurance, Medicare options, and
ancillary plans. Our proprietary marketplace offers Medicare
Advantage, Medicare Supplement, Medicare Part D prescription drug,
individual, family, small business and other plans from over 180
health insurance carriers across fifty states and the District of Columbia.
Media inquiries, please contact: pr@ehealth.com
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ehealth-launches-inaugural-signature-research-report-health-insurance-trends-301299601.html
SOURCE eHealth, Inc.