Today’s post is about the third top consumer healthcare issue of 2026 as compiled by KFF. This one is difficult to comprehend and explain. Understandably, healthcare access is a combination of high costs and rising insurance premiums. It’s difficult to understand why healthcare access is becoming more challenging while at the same time healthcare expenditures in the US are increasing at all time high rates.
*******
(Author comment-At one point in our journey to create a blog, podcast and other forms of social media, we were hoping to capture a large audience. Unfortunately, we have come to the realization that to have a large audience we would need to be entertaining or have more mainstream popularity. The facts are we’re writing about a broken healthcare system that at times woefully underperforms patients’ expectations, is very expensive in the context of anything else consumers spend their money on and in most instances isn’t very funny.
Through hours of self-evaluation, we’ve come to the realization healthcare is not much different than plumbing, electrical, carpentry, auto mechanics or several other occupations that people only are interested in when something is broken or not working as expected. Frankly, healthcare access isn’t something you’re presently concerned about unless something is physically wrong with yourself, a spouse, a child, a parent or some other important person in your life.
We’re not going to attempt to entertain you but going to create a document you might need right now or more importantly some time down the road. Hopefully, you’ll remember our website because it is loaded with helpful ideas about navigating the healthcare system. Excuse my digression.
*******
At the root of the healthcare access issue is a very complex question. Is healthcare your right or privilege in the US? Let’s start with some basics. If you’re employed by an employer that provides health insurance that you’re enrolled in you most likely view healthcare as a right. If you’re over 65 and on Medicare you also might view healthcare as a right. If you are fabulously wealthy you probably view healthcare as a right. These situations illustrate the biggest barrier to healthcare access is economics.
Another factor affecting access is location. Rural communities are facing growing issues of underservice because of fewer hospitals, clinics, physicians and other medical professionals.
Within urban areas cultural barriers such as language, limited health knowledge and transportation challenges can all be barriers to access.
This is just a very short list of barriers; however, because technically speaking, health care is not a right (not included in the Bill of Rights) and therefore barriers are commonplace.
Unfortunately, COVID highlighted the existence of more barriers rather than less. In a post Affordable Care Act and post COVID world the existence of barriers seems to be increasing. Evidenced by ER wait times, delays in getting physician appointments, hospital closures and staffing shortages. Barriers are growing.
Access solutions.
First, since cost is the number 1 access barrier, insurance or financial stability are extremely important in overcoming this access barrier. Despite political efforts to expand Medicaid, provide safety net hospitals in urban areas, provide critical access hospitals in rural areas, expand Medicare through Advantage Medicare plans there are still access issues.
Second, awareness and understanding how the healthcare system works is critically important. There are numerous resources available to the individual that takes the initiative to find them. AI is an excellent place to begin.
Third, we have spent most of our careers working in and for healthcare organizations. We learn new things every day. The biggest current learning is the drive to make money in healthcare is accelerating at a pace we have never seen before. Either you are your own advocate or need to find one. Otherwise, the “System” will take advantage of you! Both clinically and financially!!!
We’re here to help