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The U.S. healthcare system may not be fully meeting the needs of women, if a new report is any indication. In a survey of consumers conducted by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, women are 35% more likely than men to say they've skipped or delayed medical care over a 12-month period.

The reasons for this come down to access, affordability and past negative experiences.

In addition to the consumer survey, Deloitte also conducted an actuarial analysis of medical claims data to isolate health conditions that are unique to, or more prevalent in, one gender versus another. That analysis concluded that women require an average of 9.9% more healthcare services than men – even excluding maternity-related healthcare expenses.Ìý

This may be due to biological differences, such as women's increased likelihood to be affected by conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and autoimmune disorders, authors said.

Yet 50% of women reported delaying or skipping any kind of healthcare service in a 12-month period, compared to only 37% of men.Ìý

WHAT'S THE IMPACT?

The most frequently missed healthcare service for both men and women was treatment for acute illnesses such as the flu or a viral infection (38% for women and 37% for men). In addition, 34% of women reported delaying or skipping a women's health visit – for screenings or maternal health, obstetrics, or gynecology needs – but only 19% reported delaying or skipping a dermatology visit.

About one-third of respondents – both men and women – said they had gone without preventive services, such as vaccinations and cancer screenings, during the past year.

The survey also found that women are more likely than men to avoid or delay mental health services due to cost – 29% for women, compared to 22% for men. Some mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression are more common among women than men, and others like perinatal depression and premenstrual dysphoric disorders only affect women.

In examining the reasons for foregoing care, the survey found women are 31% more likely than men to skip care due to cost, and 21% of women decided not to see a doctor this year because the cost was too high – up from 15% in 2015.

On top of that, women were almost twice as likely as men to say they aren't financially prepared to pay an unforeseen medical bill. Such expenses could have a more profound impact on women: 44% of women said they are "not prepared" or "slightly prepared" to pay $500 for an unexpected medical emergency – up from 37% two years ago.

By contrast, 25% of men said they are not prepared to pay for an unexpected medical emergency this year, up from 19% in 2022.

Women are 50% more likely than men to report skipping care due to a long wait time and are twice as likely to miss a medical appointment because of a transportation issue, numbers showed. And a poor prior experience is also a factor: More than 40% of female participants said they had skipped or avoided care because they didn't like the way a provider or a staff member treated them. Some of the women said clinicians discounted their symptoms, didn't listen to their concerns, or misdiagnosed a health issue.

A number of stakeholders have opportunities to improve the situation, authors said. Employers can play a role in improving workforce health by promoting health literacy, prioritizing wellbeing, and increasing access to preventive screenings. They can also improve healthcare affordability and access for women by collaborating with health plans to enhance coverage for health issues beyond fertility and childbirth, such as screenings, rehabilitation therapy, mental health services and menopause treatments.

Health plans can play a role in bridging the gender equity gap in healthcare by addressing affordability, access and experience disparities, authors said. They can start by examining their plan designs for gender biases and introducing new products that equally benefit genders, with a particular focus on women-specific healthcare needs.

Hospitals and health systems could enhance care for women by addressing systemic and structural challenges through several strategic initiatives, according to the survey. Investing in alternative sites of care and other low-cost settings such as virtual visits and retail care locations can help improve accessibility.

THE LARGER TREND

A Deloitte report from last fall showed women pay more, as well: Employed women have as much as $15.4 billion more a year than men in out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, despite largely buying the same health insurance products, the findings showed.

For people with commercial insurance, the value of benefits for women is more than $1.3 billion less than men. The cost to employers to cover this actuarial value gap is less than $12 per employee – or less than $1 a month.

Jeff LagasseÌýisÌýeditor of Healthcare FinanceÌýNews.
Email:Ìýjlagasse@himss.org
Healthcare FinanceÌýNews is aÌý¿ªÐÄ¹í´«Ã½ÌýMedia publication.