Kathmandu. Insurance companies in Asia have called for lower health insurance costs to make health care easier and more affordable. This is because many patients are delaying treatment due to the high cost of health insurance, confusion in insurance access, and lack of clear information.
The study, titled “Patient Voices: Healthcare access experiences in Asia”, by Prudential plc, surveyed more than 4,200 patients in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore between April and May. More than 80 per cent of respondents admitted to delaying treatment, the report found. The main reason for this is financial worries.
A third of those surveyed said that medical treatment is often more expensive than expected. Nearly half of the respondents said the medical expenses were a financial burden on the family.
In Indonesia, 93 percent of patients said they had stopped treatment because of financial constraints. They also point to difficulties in the health care system.
More than half of the respondents said they did not know where to seek treatment. Nearly 60 per cent of the respondents said they faced long wait times, difficulty securing appointments and inconvenient appointments due to billing and insurance complications.
The lack of information about health insurance in Asia is another concern. In the survey, 55 per cent of the respondents said that they did not get proper guidance to make treatment decisions, and about 40 per cent used digital tools including artificial intelligence (AI) after diagnosis.
Prudential Health CEO Arjan Tur said insurance companies need to improve cost transparency, simplify processes and ensure patients receive support throughout treatment.
