Do out-of-pocket costs discourage care? - Takeaways - MDSpire
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Do out-of-pocket costs discourage care?

Higher medical expenses increased financial anxiety and reduced willingness to schedule recommended procedures in 3 studies, with stronger effects among financially stressed participants.

  • By

  • Andrea Surnit

  • November 11, 2026

  • 5 min

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  • 1

    Three randomized online experiments involving 1,028 US adults tested responses to hypothetical procedures with full out-of-pocket costs or no cost.

  • 2

    Participants facing higher costs reported greater financial discomfort and procedure-related financial anxiety across the three experiments.

  • 3

    Higher costs were associated with lower willingness to schedule hypothetical endoscopy and nerve conduction procedures.

  • 4

    Higher costs did not significantly increase anticipated physical pain in the overall comparisons, although mediation analyses identified indirect associations through financial discomfort and anxiety.

  • 5

    The studies measured self-reported responses to hypothetical scenarios and did not assess actual appointment attendance, treatment adherence, or clinical outcomes.

Original Source(s)

Do out-of-pocket costs discourage care?

  • by Andrea Surnit

  • November 11, 2026

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