4 Consumer Health Care Trends That Impact Your Employee Benefits

Today’s healthcare looks very different from what it looked like even a decade ago. Given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, some of these changes have a positive but others have become less positive. The positives are you can video chat with the doctor, track your glucose levels on your wrist, and have your prescriptions delivered to your doorstep. On the other hand, there are concerns over safety precautions, increasing complexity, and reduce cost and parenting.

All these reasons are why consumer expectations are changing for healthcare providers and insurance. Here are the latest consumer healthcare trends in health and how it affects health insurance options.

Consumer Health Care Trends 

In the past, having access to doctors and insurance was one of the best ways to help pay for care and it was enough to satisfy consumer health needs. Today, though, people are expecting more. Here are the biggest trends among today’s healthcare consumers:

  • Convenience

Consumers have already been exploring nontraditional forms and care, but with safety concerns growing during the pandemic, many have preferences for at-home services. 44% of consumers used telemedicine either during or pre-lockdown and around 73% of people who had never tried telemedicine before are now expressing a willingness to use it.

Younger consumers are also choosing healthcare based on ease and convenience rather than a long-term relationship. About 20% of people under the age of 35 say that don’t have a primary care doctor. This is new because many people over the age of 55 have a primary care doctor in a long-term relationship with that doctor. 

  • Personalization 

 Personalized healthcare experiences are a top priority for people of all ages. When a consumer needs to get care, they often want help finding the right doctor, hospital, or treatment facility for their specific condition. Historically, this research and coordination process has left the consumer to figure out this on their own. However, consumers now want to be heard, understood, and given clear personalized directions on what to do. This means they are more eagerly seeking out recommendations rather than going in blind.

  • Technology 

There has been an increase in relying on health information on the web. About 52% of consumers have reported searching online for healthcare or wellness information. Around 30% of younger consumers say they self diagnose before seeing a doctor in person. However, it’s not just consumers that are using more technology. Doctors are also using digital technology more often and picture treatment plans. This means things like glucose monitors and other technological advancements are being used more frequently than they were before.

  • Transparency 

 Transparency has become some that many consumers want to know. They want a clear understanding of which doctors take their insurance, what benefits are covered by the plan, and how much medical procedures will cost at any hospital. This means that people want to know where their money’s going and what the insurance is planning to do with it. This also means many consumers are becoming more educated on what their healthcare means for them.