The poll collected information from voters on September 8 to 10, 2016 on behalf of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Here are five things to know:
1. There were 24 percent of the respondents who lost access to their physicians because the practitioner was dropped from their payer network.
2. Patients are now going to physician offices and urgent care clinics instead of the ER when they are in emergencies; 19 percent reported contacting or visiting a physician office or urgent care center but were sent right to the emergency department because they needed a higher level of care.
3. More than half — 55 percent — of the respondents were paying more for their health coverage with 20 percent saying they paid “much more.”
4. Thirty percent of the respondents said their health coverage has gotten worse. High deductible health plans have increased by 40 percent in the past six years, according to the CDC.
5. Patients also report waiting longer to seek emergency care because they’re uncertain their insurance would cover the cost. Many policies with large deductibles don’t cover much until the deductibles are met.
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