Consumers are increasingly concerned about increased financial transparency in their medical treatment, according to a 2015 report from TransUnion.
For the survey, TransUnion gathered responses from 7,382 insured heads-of-households who had either personally received medical care or had a family member on their policy receive care in the past two years. Participants were from all 50 states and had a variety of insurance plans. TransUnion gathered the results between May 5 and May 6, 2015.
Below are five statistics to know from the survey.
1. About 80 percent of respondents listed upfront cost estimates and clinicians' bedside manner as top two reasons for using a clinician.
2. About 61 percent said they are always or sometimes surprised by their out-of-pocket costs. About 55 percent said they are always or sometimes confused by their medical bills.
3. The desire for medical payment plans increased from 40 percent of respondents in 2014 to 47 percent in 2015.
4. The number of patients that requested upfront cost estimates rose dramatically from 6 percent in 2014 to 44 percent in 2015.
5. Patients continue to align clinical experience with financial experiences. About 83 percent of patients who rated their quality of care highly also said their billing and payment experiences were positive.