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Are High Out-Of-Pocket Costs Forcing Patients To Settle For Substandard Care? - Forbes

May 26, 2016

Peter Ubel writes for Forbes about the cost-benefit decisions doctors and patients must make in the face of rising out-of-pocket healthcare costs.

Read the full article at: www.forbes.com

Ubel uses an example of a woman who must choose between a CT scan or a more thorough PET scan to check her body for cancerous tumors. Decisions like these must be made every day by patients who cannot afford the increasing out-of-pocket healthcare costs. Sometimes the decisions are simple, and a less expensive medical test will yield similar results. But what happens when a cheaper alternative is not as good? Are patients forced to settle for sub-standard care?

When people pay out-of-pocket for a significant portion of their medical expenses, we can expect them to make these kinds of tough decisions. Good decision-making requires doctors and patients to weigh the pros and cons of all available alternatives, including the financial burden patients might experience from high out-of-pocket costs.

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The information and materials herein are provided for general information purposes only and are not intended to constitute legal or other advice or opinions on any specific matters and are not intended to replace the advice of a qualified attorney, plan provider or other professional advisor. This information has been taken from sources believed to be reliable, but there is no guarantee as to its accuracy. This communication does not constitute a legal opinion and should not be relied upon for any purpose other than its intended educational purpose.

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