More on the topic of narrow networks…
In a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey of health plan buyers, a little over half (51 percent) of those responding pointed toward buying a plan that cost more but presented a greater selection of providers vs. buying a less expensive plan with fewer participating doctors and hospitals (37 percent). However, the scales were tipped a little in the other direction for those previously without health coverage who were buying insurance for the first time as well as some would-be purchasers who were already enrolled in individual plans. Interestingly, the survey also reported that when push came to shove, many of those same folks (more than 1/3) who leaned in the narrow network / lower cost direction, when confronted with the possibility of losing access to their regular or preferred doctor and/or hospital, changed their tune preferring greater choice and access despite the higher cost.
A 2013 Deloitte Health Care Consumer Survey found that the majority of consumers would not consider a network that did not include their primary care doc. 12 percent of respondents were willing to swap physician relationship with price. More were willing to accept fewer in-network hospitals to lower their costs as long as their preferred docs were in the network.
For more on this topic, read Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: February 2014 and also Deloitte Survey of U.S. Health Care Consumers