As Budgets Tighten, More People Decide Medical Care Can Wait

There's a good article in the Washington Post today about patients deferring care due to the recession.  The article shows that advocates for high deductible health plans are right - with higher deductibles, patients are far more reticent to incur significant costs.  However, consumers are deciding against both discretionary care (twice a year ultrasound of fibroids) and necessary evidence-based care ( annual mammogram in light of strong family history of breast cancer). And physicians are spending more of their time doing financial, not clinical, triage.