More patients are postponing healthcare due to cost, according to a study released by the Healthcare business of Thomson Reuters. A total of 20 percent of U.S. households postponed or cancelled care in the past year, a sharp increase from 2006. Among those who postponed or cancelled care, 24.1 percent of households cited cost as the primary reason.

These findings are based on a telephone survey of 12,000 households conducted from February 11 to March 15 -- a wave of the Thomson Reuters PULSE Healthcare Survey, the largest and longest running privately funded household survey on health behavior and utilization in the nation. Responses were then analyzed over a three-year period to chart long term trends in consumer healthcare utilization.

Following are the key findings of the analysis:

-- More Patients Postpone Care Due to Cost: One in five U.S. households postponed or cancelled medical care over the past year, up from 15.9 percent in 2006 when the survey last addressed this issue. Among 2009 respondents who postponed or cancelled care, 24.1 percent said cost was the primary reason. In 2006, the primary reason cited was lack of time.

-- Physician Visits Are First to Go: The majority of postponed services (54.7 percent) were for physician visits, followed by imaging (8 percent), non-elective procedures (6.3 percent), and lab or diagnostic tests (5.7 percent).

-- Rising Ranks of Uninsured: The percentage of households with employer-sponsored insurance showed a notable decline since the start of the recession, declining from 59 percent in early 2008 to 54.6 percent in early 2009. The population of respondents covered by Medicaid increased from 11.9 percent to 14.5 percent during the same period.

-- Pessimistic Regarding Future Care: One in five (21 percent) said they expect to have difficulty paying for health insurance or healthcare services in the next three months. Respondents said the most likely services to be deferred are elective procedures (28 percent) and treatment for minor injuries (16 percent).

"The results of this survey have serious implications for public health officials, hospital administrators, and healthcare consumers," said Gary Pickens, chief research officer for the Healthcare business of Thomson Reuters and lead author of the study. "We are seeing a positive correlation between Americans losing their access to employer-sponsored health insurance and deferral of healthcare."

"If this trend continues, it will ultimately have an impact on our collective wellbeing," Pickens added.

About Thomson Reuters

The Healthcare business of Thomson Reuters produces insights, information, benchmarks and analysis that enable organizations to manage costs, improve performance and enhance the quality of healthcare. Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, scientific, healthcare and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs more than 50,000 people in 93 countries. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: TRI); Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: TRI); London Stock Exchange (LSE: TRIL); and Nasdaq (NASDAQ: TRIN).

Source: Thomson Reuters