# 531 Eliminating Financial Barriers - with Tom Policelli of PayMedix

High-deductible health plans have created "functionally uninsured" people who have insurance cards but can't access care due to high out-of-pocket costs, creating barriers to necessary healthcare and driving up long-term expenses. We discuss a solution with Tom Policelli of Paymedix.

• Consumer confusion about benefits is the #1 issue, with affordability a close second
• 45% of insured people avoided necessary care last year due to cost concerns
• Nearly 30% of hospitals now require payment before scheduling services
• 25% of commercially insured people have no available credit
• Healthcare utilization by lower-income tiers mimics Medicaid patterns - delaying care until emergencie...