2016 Alegeus Healthcare Consumerism Index
Published on July 25th, 2016
Index of healthcare spending and saving behavior affirms that there is still much room for improvement for consumers to optimize their financial health
Alegeus is pleased to unveil its 2016 Healthcare Consumerism Index – an annual report that measures the degree of engagement and ‘consumerism’ exhibited during healthcare spending and saving decisions. Based on a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. healthcare consumers, the 2016 index evaluated two specific aspects of healthcare consumerism – 1) the degree of cost/value orientation exhibited during healthcare “purchases” and 2) the degree of savings focus/discipline to plan for healthcare cost responsibilities.
Consumers are increasingly responsible for the cost of their healthcare – as evidenced by rising deductibles, growing out-of-pocket costs and accelerating adoption of consumer directed health plans and accounts. However, it’s evident that consumers may not be fully prepared to manage these new financial responsibilities. This index seeks to measure the industry’s progress in empowering consumers to take greater ownership of their healthcare finances.
For each category of consumerism – spending and saving – survey responses were tabulated into a single rating score on a 0-100 point scale. The bigger the number, the greater the degree of consumerism exhibited.