Many Americans relying on their health insurance cards struggle to identify in-network doctors and find it difficult to determine what their insurance will cover, according to the Zocdoc Insurance Confidence Survey.

The survey of 1,008 Americans ages 18-65 with health insurance, conducted on behalf of Zocdoc by Kelton Global, found that more than a quarter (28 percent) of respondents are not always confident that the doctors they book appointments with will be in-network, and 16 percent made an appointment with a new doctor not knowing if their insurance covered the visit. One in five (20 percent) have been turned away when booking with a new doctor because the doctor didn't accept their insurance.

“The health insurance landscape is changing rapidly, and the burden continues to shift to the patient in the form of higher deductibles and narrower networks,” says Oliver Kharraz, MD, Zocdoc founder and CEO. “These changes make it even more important to provide patients with digital tools that help them find in-network doctors.”

Zocdoc recently launched Insurance Checker – available now on the Zocdoc mobile app for iOS and Android, and mobile web – which scans a picture of a patient’s insurance card and uses artificial intelligence technology to help patients correctly select the right plan. Insurance Checker also helps to verify plan details and guide patients to in-network doctors, so they won’t make a costly, out-of-network appointment.

Such digital tools can overcome the challenge that many Americans have when trying to read and understand insurance cards, Kharraz says, as each card has a different format and design, and most lack proper emphasis on relevant information.

According to the survey, just 8 percent of respondents think their insurance card is intuitive, and roughly a quarter (27 percent) say their insurance card is well-designed. Those who feel their insurance cards are difficult to understand are less likely to feel confident they understand what their health insurance covers.

Moreover, the majority say they have a difficult time figuring out what their insurance will cover, and roughly half (48 percent) don’t think it's easy to get answers or clarification from their insurance company. Nearly a third (29 percent) have shown up to a doctor’s visit unaware of the co-pay and/or other costs they would incur, and 27 percent are unaware of what’s left on their deductible.

More than three-quarters (77 percent) of the respondents says they would like an easier way to ensure their doctor is in-network when booking appointments. If unable to book an appointment with an in-network doctor, nearly a quarter (22 percent) of would skip going to the doctor altogether and 17 percent would go to the emergency room. The majority (63 percent) said that if they had higher confidence in their insurance coverage, they would be less likely to avoid getting care.

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How much do consumers know about their insurance coverage?

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