AKASA™, the leading developer of AI for healthcare operations, recently conducted a survey with YouGov to better understand the challenges and frustrations patients face when it comes to medical billing. The results were alarming, as more than half of the 2,000 Americans surveyed found medical bills at least somewhat confusing.
The survey revealed that the most frustrating aspects of the financial experience after seeking medical care were being able to understand what they were being billed for and uncertainty about whether they could pay the bill. These two factors seemed to drive the most confusion and frustration among patients.
In an effort to alleviate some of this confusion, AKASA™ has offered several strategies for healthcare organizations to be proactive and prevent billing surprises from affecting their patients. These strategies include being transparent about billing practices, providing estimates of responsibility upfront, and regularly reviewing bills for errors.
Amy Raymond, VP of revenue cycle operations at AKASA™, emphasized the importance of patients being diligent in reviewing their bills and asking questions of their providers or insurance companies before paying.
“The rise of high-deductible health plans, the uncertainty of what’s being billed, and the complexities of in- and out-of-network charges make understanding and managing medical bills challenging for many families,” said Raymond. “It’s crucial that patients take an active role in ensuring they are receiving an accurate bill.”
More than 2,000 Americans were asked: “On a scale from 1-5 (1 being not confusing at all, 5 being extremely confusing), how confusing are medical bills to understand?”
- 11% found medical bills not confusing at all
- 14% leaned toward medical bills not being confusing
- 37% said they were neutral on the confusion of medical bills
- 19% found medical bills somewhat confusing
- 19% said medical bills were extremely confusing
Additionally, respondents were asked: “Which, if any, of the following is most frustrating about the financial experience after seeking medical care?” Americans ranked the following statements as their most important frustrations:
- Being able to understand what they’re being billed for (29%)
- Uncertainty if they can pay the bill (27%)
- Not getting bill until weeks after they received service (24%)
- Uncertainty if the final bill will be consistent with the estimate of responsibility (20%)
The survey also asked: “Which, if any, of the following would be most helpful to you in understanding how much you are expected to pay for care or services?”
- 27% said a call before the procedure from the physician’s office or hospital staff to walk through what’s expected in terms of payment and discuss payment plans offered
- 12% said an online calculator to help determine cost ranges for care or procedures
- 11% said an email from the insurance company to walk through the bill after care or services are rendered
- 9% said a call from the insurance company to walk through the bill after care or services are rendered
- 9% said access to live online customer service through their insurer’s websites
- 8% said a call from the physician’s office or hospital staff to walk through the bill after care or services are rendered
- 24% said none of the above
“These results show that medical billing is still a black box to patients,” said Raymond. “The onus is on healthcare organizations — both providers and insurers — to make medical billing less painful for patients, who may fear going into debt and avoid seeking out care. One critical tool healthcare leaders can leverage to course correct on medical billing and make it more seamless for patients is automation.”
“Automation makes it possible to take a lot of the tedious work off the plates of revenue cycle specialists, freeing them up to become patient advocates,” said Raymond. “For example, automating authorization status frees staff up to help with initiating an authorization in a more timely manner while also preventing appointments from getting canceled. Staff can also take on more patient-facing activities like financial counseling to deliver a better experience overall.”
The YouGov survey, commissioned by AKASA, fielded responses from 2,026 Americans between March 9–14, 2022. The online survey was conducted at a confidence level of 95% and results for the total sample have a margin of error of +/- 2.18%, while results among those who have sought prices for healthcare services have a margin of error of +/-3.65%. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults 18 and older.
It’s clear from the survey that there is a significant need for better communication and transparency when it comes to medical billing. Many patients are struggling to understand what they are being billed for and whether they can afford to pay, which can be a major source of stress and uncertainty. It’s encouraging to see that a significant number of respondents indicated that they would find it helpful to receive a call or email from their physician or insurance company to walk through the bill or discuss payment options. This shows that patients are willing to engage with healthcare organizations and seek out information that can help them better understand their bills.
The suggestion to leverage automation as a way to improve medical billing is an interesting one. By automating certain tasks, healthcare organizations can free up staff to focus on more patient-facing activities, such as financial counseling. This can help to deliver a better overall experience for patients and potentially reduce the confusion and uncertainty that many of them feel when it comes to medical billing. It will be interesting to see how healthcare organizations adopt automation and other technology solutions to improve the billing process and make it more seamless for patients.
About AKASA
AKASA is the leading developer of AI for healthcare operations. AKASA scales human intelligence with leading-edge AI and ML securely trained on customer data to learn unique systems, continuously adapt to changing environments, and deliver comprehensive automation and analytics for complex workflows. The result is a seamlessly integrated, customized solution that reduces operating costs, frees up staff to do the work they love, and helps health systems allocate resources to where they matter most.
AKASA has a work-from-anywhere attitude and we are hiring. Step into the future of healthcare with AKASA. Learn more at AKASA.com.
