Beth Braverman reports on the top five healthcare trends in 2017 in this article for The Fiscal Times. She notes that "the American health care system faces massive uncertainty heading into 2017," as more Americans gain coverage but fewer can afford it.
Read the full original article from The Fiscal Times.
Braverman speculates that the top five things consumers need to watch in regards to the Affordable Care Act in 2017 are:
- Paying more out of pocket - "The cost of premiums for insurance provided by a large employer is expected to go up 5 percent next year."
- The increase in out-of-pocket expenses is especially steep for prescription drugs - "The overall cost of drugs prescribed to workers under age 65 is expected to grow 11.6 percent next year."
- More access to telemedicine - "Nine in 10 employers will make telehealth services available to employees in states that allow it next year, up from 70 percent this year."
- Doctors' offices go digital - "A growing number of doctors now operate portals through which patients can make an appointment, send a note, renew prescriptions or access their medical records."
- Medical identity theft continues to rise - "Nine in 10 health care organizations have had a breach in the past two years and 45 percent had more than five data breaches in that period, according to the Ponemon Institute."
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