Clover Health Survey Finds That 18% of U.S. Seniors Are Skipping Necessary Medical Care
Low-income adults over 60 avoiding the doctor at particularly high rates
Newly released survey results from Clover Health reveal that 18% of U.S. adults have skipped seeking necessary medical care since turning 60, demonstrating the dire need for affordable and accessible healthcare services across the country.
Further, the survey uncovered troubling demographic trends, finding that even higher rates of low-income seniors – 24% – are avoiding the doctor.
“It is very concerning that 18% of U.S. seniors reported not seeking medical care even when they felt they needed a doctor’s attention," said Kumar Dharmarajan, MD and Chief Scientific Officer, Clover Health. “Older adults are particularly vulnerable to complications from chronic conditions and illnesses like the flu, making it crucial that they get the medical care they need.”
Other findings in Clover’s survey include:
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U.S. seniors cited three main reasons for avoiding necessary medical care – of those who skipped seeing a doctor, 40% said the high cost was a deterrent, followed by 27% who were concerned the diagnosis would be too complex and 20% who were unable to find a doctor they liked or felt comfortable with.
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24% of seniors with a household income less than $35,000 have skipped medical attention when needing it, compared with 17% of those in households earning $35,000 - $74,999 and just 12% of seniors earning over $75,000.
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While 20% of women over 60 skipped the doctor in spite of a health concern, only 16% of men surveyed did the same.
The study from Clover, a healthcare company using technology to improve medical outcomes, aims to assess health trends within the 60 and older population.
Clover is focused on preventative healthcare by leveraging data and its technology platform to proactively address potential illnesses before they become serious. As part of this, Clover’s sophisticated technology has an 85% accuracy rate in identifying patients at risk of being admitted to the hospital in the next 28 days – an unmatched level of precision.
Seniors in Tucson, Charleston, Savannah, Nashville, El Paso, San Antonio, Philadelphia, and fifteen counties across New Jersey can sign up for one of Clover’s comprehensive Medicare Advantage plans during the annual Medicare enrollment period, which began on October 15 and runs through December 7.
This survey was conducted by Wakefield Research of 1,000 adults 60+ throughout the U.S.