A new study by the Urban Institute has found that people with long COVID are more likely to face healthcare problems such as high costs and difficulty finding clinicians. The research indicates that healthcare access and costs could make it more difficult for individuals to manage long COVID. The study is part of ongoing efforts to understand the profile of people with long COVID and its impact on their everyday lives.
The Urban Institute has published new findings which indicate that those who have experienced long COVID are more likely to experience issues with other aspects of healthcare. This includes high healthcare costs, difficulty finding clinicians who are accepting new patients, getting a timely appointment, and getting health plan prior authorization approval. These issues can make it more difficult for individuals to take care of themselves and their healthcare needs when managing long COVID. The researchers suggest that access to timely and effective treatment may be especially important for maintaining employment.
Long COVID is the experience of COVID-19 symptoms long after the infection has subsided. It may become an emerging chronic health condition as medical experts work to get a handle on how many people have it and the impact it has on their everyday lives. This latest Urban Institute study looked particularly at the experience or potential experience of folks with PCC interacting with the US healthcare system.
“The experiences of patients with similar and overlapping conditions, such as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, suggest that US patients with PCC may experience difficulties navigating a fragmented health care system,” the researchers wrote. “The consequences associated with unmet medical needs may include exacerbated risk of disability and reduced health-related quality of life.
According to survey data about nearly 10,000 US adults, around one in five people who reported ever having COVID-19 said they also currently have PCC. And with that PCC diagnosis comes a myriad of healthcare problems, the survey showed.
Compared to both people who have never had COVID-19 and people who have had it but do not have PCC, those with long COVID are more likely to report issues navigating the US healthcare industry. For example, around a quarter said they struggle with healthcare costs. This is somewhat comparable to those who have had COVID but outpaces those who have never had COVID (17 percent).
Moreover, those with PCC were more likely to have trouble finding a clinician who is accepting new patients, with 16 percent saying as much. That compares to 10 percent of people in both the only-COVID and never-COVID buckets.
“Although most adults with PCC had a usual source of care, some may have had trouble finding clinicians who were knowledgeable about and responsive to their conditions,” the Urban Institute researchers explained. “In addition, some patients may not have been aware of or had access to a multidisciplinary PCC clinic.”
And even if PCC patients can find a provider, they can’t get an appointment in a timely manner. One in five said they can’t get a timely appointment, while around 14 percent of people who do not have PCC and who have never had COVID reported the same.
Insurance-related barriers may also reflect limited evidence to inform standards of care. Insurers may deny reimbursement for tests and procedures that they do not consider medically necessary. Prior authorization and other use-management practices may also be associated with claim denials and other administrative burdens for patients.
These findings come as the US works to understand the profile of those who have long COVID or PCC. Although this Urban Institute did not report on those characteristics, a separate study from the NIH found that Black and Hispanic people are more likely to report long COVID symptoms than their White counterparts, but that White people are more likely to report a documented PCC diagnosis.
This statement by Dr. Dhruv Khullar highlights the need for further research and discussion regarding potential differences in symptom variations across different racial and ethnic groups. The NIH data has revealed that there may be variations in symptoms experienced by people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, but the reasons for these variations are not yet fully understood.
By drawing attention to these findings, Dr. Khullar hopes to stimulate further research into the potential mechanisms behind these variations. This research could help to identify the underlying factors that contribute to these differences, which could in turn lead to the development of more effective treatments and interventions for people from diverse backgrounds.
Furthermore, this work could also spark important discussions among patients, clinicians, and policymakers about how best to address these variations in symptoms and provide equitable access to healthcare for all individuals, regardless of their race or ethnicity. Ultimately, the goal is to improve health outcomes for everyone and ensure that no one is left behind due to systemic inequities.
Leave a Reply