Tip #387: Does Any Of This Surprise You?

I stumbled across a Consumer Sentiment Survey conducted by UnitedHealthcare a little over a year ago. I found the results on Health Literacy, Technology and Customer Service interesting.

For example:

• Only 9% of the U.S. population demonstrated an understanding of four basic health insurance terms; i.e., premiums, deductibles, co-insurance and out of pocket maximum.
• 48% of those surveyed use the internet or mobile apps to shop for airline tickets but only 32% to research prices for health care services; not coincidentally, only 10% were able to correctly estimate the cost of an MRI.
• 42% of respondents said they would be likely to use Telemedicine.
• When asked about customer service, 84% said speaking with a live representative is the preferred method of contact. (So much for on line chats and other technology!)

Check out the rest of the survey here. It’s a quick read. Then let me know how we can enhance your health care experience.

And thanks UHC, for helping me write this week’s Tip!