Cost, wait times lead women to avoid care: Deloitte

Cost, wait times, transportation problems and negative interactions with healthcare professionals are driving U.S. women to delay medical care or skip it altogether, according to a recent Deloitte survey.

Half of the approximately 1,000 women who responded to the consultancy's 2024 Health Care Consumer Survey said they had forgone care in the past year, compared with 37% of men, Deloitte said in a report Tuesday.

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Deloitte paired the results of its survey — which asked a representative sample of roughly 2,000 people in February 2024 about how everyone in the country could have quality medical care — with an analysis of claims data. It found that although women require on average almost 10% more health services than men, they're about 35% more likely to say they've skipped or delayed care.

Leaving issues untreated could eventually lead to higher costs down the line for patients, providers and insurers, Deloitte analysts said in the report.

Here are five takeaways concerning women's healthcare habits from Deloitte's report.

1. High costs of care are a major concern

While women and men both pointed to out-of-pocket costs as a top reason for skipping or delaying care, women are 31% more likely to do so. Last year, a separate Deloitte analysis based on health insurance data found employed women in the U.S. spend about $15 billion more in annual out-of-pocket expenses than employed men do.

The analysis published Tuesday found that women were nearly twice as likely as men to say they are unable to afford unforeseen medical bills, with 44% of women reporting they were either not prepared or "slightly prepared" to pay a $500 unplanned health expense.

Analysts noted women might struggle with financial solvency due to the gender wage gap: Last year, women's median full-time weekly earnings were 84% of men's, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

2. Women report access gaps, bad provider experiences

Men and women cited problems accessing care as reasons for delaying or skipping medical services. But women were 50% more likely than men to say they would forgo care due to long wait times, and twice as likely to say they'd miss appointments due to transportation issues. Relatedly, women said they often sought virtual care because of the convenience and access factors.

Women patients are also more likely to avoid medical services because of negative histories with medical providers. In past studies, some women told Deloitte researchers that clinicians had misdiagnosed their conditions or not taken symptoms seriously.

3. Patients most often miss treatment for acute illnesses

Patients were most likely to delay or skip care for acute illnesses and preventive care such as screenings.

Nearly 40% of both men and women reported missing treatment for sicknesses such as the flu or a viral infection, while 34% of women said they had delayed or skipped reproductive care appointments. The analysis noted 19% of women surveyed said they'd delayed or missed a dermatology-related appointment.

Women are also less likely to take prescription medications as directed, mainly due to cost, according to a June 2023 national health survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

4. More investment might improve matters

The report called on investors to fund women's health products and services. Centering women's perspectives in the development process and hiring diverse teams could also make a difference, analysts said.

A February Deloitte analysis found that while digital health company investments declined from 2022 to 2023, funding grew for companies focused on women's health issues. Such investments peaked in 2021 at $629 million, dropping to $459 million the following year before increasing again to $481 million in 2023, according to Deloitte.

5. Stakeholders across the industry have roles to play

A multi-pronged strategy could move the needle on women's healthcare, said Jennifer Radin, chief innovation officer for Deloitte's healthcare division and co-author of the report.

"We really need to expand the research agenda [and] research into the role that healthcare providers play," Radin said. "Then, of course, health plans and employers have a role in thinking about the policies and the products that they are offering, and for employers, the coverage that they are offering to women employees."

Health providers could improve accessibility through expanding alternative sites of care, for example, while insurance companies could shift cost-sharing with an eye toward inclusivity, Deloitte analysts said in the report.

Policymakers could also play a role, Radin noted.

"It's a golden triangle of healthcare that we often talk about: affordability, access and experience," Radin said. "They're really all inextricably linked to extending healthspan for women and for creating an environment in which women can thrive."