A recent study published in JAMA Network Open has uncovered significant racial and socioeconomic disparities in how preventive care is billed and denied by insurance companies, potentially exacerbating existing health inequities in the United States.
The research, led by a team of health economists, analyzed data from over 1.5 million patients and found that insurers deny preventive care claims for patients from marginalized communities at higher rates than for those from majority groups. This is despite the Affordable Care Act’s mandate that preventive services should be free for millions of Americans.
According to the study, low-income patients were 43% more likely than high-income patients to have their claims denied. Moreover, Asian, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic Black patients were each roughly twice as likely as non-Hispanic white patients to face claim denials.
The researchers also discovered disparities in billing errors. Patients with a high school diploma or less experienced denials due to billing errors almost twice as often as patients with college degrees. These unexpected bills can discourage patients from seeking future preventive care, potentially leading to worse health outcomes.
“Equitable access to preventive health care is about more than just physicals,” the researchers noted. “It includes key screenings for cancers, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, access to contraceptives, and mental health checkups.”
The study’s findings highlight the need for more uniform coverage of preventive care by insurers, standardized billing practices for physicians, and improved means for patients to advocate for themselves. These measures could help ensure that everyone, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, has appropriate access to essential health care services.
See “Which Americans are likely to be incorrectly billed for preventive care?” (September 19, 2024)
