Health insurance gaps leave families struggling with costs, survey finds

(InvestigateTV) — A new survey from GoodRx finds that even people who have health insurance are increasingly underinsured.

More than a quarter of people in the survey said they have at least one gap in their insurance coverage. Nearly half reported drug coverage gaps, and more than a third said dental care isn’t fully covered either.

Divya Iyer, a senior vice president at GoodRx, said health insurance is covering less each year.

“It could also be where you’re on a plan which just has large co-pays or co-insurance amounts. Or the plan may not cover your drug or may have certain drugs that are excluded, or you have additional steps and authorized prior authorizations and additional steps that you need to go through in order to be able to get approved to access the drug,” Iyer said.

Iyer said because of coverage gaps, people will delay care or skip their medications. She said it’s worth comparing prices online, and consumers could also consider whether a subscription service will help offset gaps or high out-of-pocket costs.

“This is an interesting solution that sits alongside your insurance. It’s not meant to replace insurance, it complements your existing insurance coverage, and it makes a ton of sense if they’re filling multiple prescriptions,” Iyer said.

Iyer said GoodRx Companion is one option, and there are several more available through a quick search. These services typically charge a flat monthly or annual fee for direct access to discounted prescriptions and some basic services.

That may make sense for people with multiple generic prescriptions. Consumers have to weigh how much they’ll spend in a year against how much the service might save them.