2010 Patient Data Analysis Report Finds Major Increase in Requests for Assistance Among Medicare Beneficiaries

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Apr 13, 2011, 06:30 ET

Analysis of 82,963 Completed Cases in 2010 Also Shows Increase in Patients with Multiple Diagnoses and Pre-Existing Conditions Unable to Access Healthcare

HAMPTON, Va., April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF), a national non-profit organization that seeks to safeguard patients through effective mediation assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of their financial stability relative to their diagnosis of life-threatening or debilitating diseases, today released their 2010 Patient Data Analysis Report (PDAR), which reports on national and state-by-state healthcare access issues, including insurance obstacles, medical debt crises and job retention issues confronted by patients in the United States served in 2010 by PAF.

Regarded as a thorough and reliable "front line" information source by policymakers, healthcare providers, stakeholders and other members of the healthcare community, this expert annual data analysis offers a comprehensive summary of issues, on both a national and state-by-state level, impacting Americans' access to healthcare. PAF served 82,963 patients in 2010, representing a 49.8 percent increase in patient cases compared to 2009. Seventy-one percent of the patients who contacted PAF for assistance in 2010 were cancer patients. The remaining 29 percent have chronic diseases including cardiac conditions, diabetes, osteoporosis, COPD, HIV, AIDS, chronic kidney disease, and autoimmune diseases.

As was seen in the 2009 analysis, nearly two-thirds of the patients contacting PAF in 2010 for information and assistance reported debt crisis issues due to direct medical expenses and cost-of-living expenses, even though 76 percent of those patients had some type of private or public insurance. In 2010, PAF served patients with 278 different diagnoses and health conditions. PAF also saw a 38 percent increase in requests for assistance from Medicare beneficiaries. Twenty-five percent of the patients served by PAF in 2010 were Medicare beneficiaries, with 58 percent qualifying on the basis of age and 41 percent on the basis of a disability. PAF also saw an increase in service to pediatric patients, as well, and witnessed a nearly 14 percent increase in service to those impacted by pre-existing health conditions.

"PAF publishes the annual PDAR to provide an up-to-date snapshot of healthcare trends in America from the front lines that can serve as a go-to reference for healthcare policymakers and other stakeholders as they work to finalize and implement the healthcare reform law," said Nancy Davenport-Ennis, founder and CEO of PAF. "The 2010 PDAR reveals an extreme increase in the number of patients seeking support for access to care issues. As the number of patients assisted by PAF increases year to year, the PAF population becomes more representative of the U.S. population in terms of demographic characteristics and access issues."

"PAF's experience in serving an extensive patient base of individuals facing a range of chronic and/or debilitating conditions positions it as a well-informed and credible organization when identifying the health care access challenges faced by Americans throughout the country," stated Dr. Allen Dobson, former Director of Research for CMS, President of Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, and contributing author of the 2010 PDAR.

The PDAR collects and assesses data from each patient case received throughout the year by PAF's professional senior patient navigators. In addition to providing analysis of national healthcare trends, the PDAR highlights PAF's 15-year history in resolving complex health insurance access issues, such as benefit denials and appeals. Originally published in 1997, this data has been increasingly requested by lawmakers, MedPAC, congressional offices, academics and advocacy organizations.

To access a copy of the report, call Leigh Ann Bradley at 703-548-0019.

Patient Advocate Foundation is a national non-profit organization that seeks to safeguard patients through effective mediation assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of their financial stability. PAF's professional case managers received and resolved 82,963 cases in 2010, an increase from 55,384 in 2009. Additionally, PAF received and provided information through online contacts to more than 4 million patients, family members and care professionals requesting access to care information and assistance. PAF services are available to all patients, patient families, and medical professionals, offering nineteen programs and services ranging from case management to co-pay relief, as well as specialized clinical support through the MedCare Line. PAF handles insurance claims intervention, job retention services and medical debt crisis management. For more information about Patient Advocate Foundation, please visit www.patientadvocate.org or call toll-free (800) 532-5274

SOURCE Patient Advocate Foundation