Consumers insured after the Affordable Care Act’s expanded coverage in 2014 are sicker and costlier healthcare patients than previous generations, according to a new report by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). HealthMine surveyed 500 insured consumers to discover that 59 percent suffer from a chronic condition, but only 7 percent of them are using a disease management tool, while 50 percent use a fitness/activity tracker device or app. Moreover, 52 percent of respondents are enrolled in a wellness program, and 33 percent received their health device/app from their wellness program.
HealthMine’s survey respondents suffered from a range of chronic conditions, with mental illness, chronic pain and obesity among the most common:
| Chronic Condition* | Percent |
|---|---|
| Mental illness (depression, anxiety, etc.) | 18% |
| Chronic back, shoulder and/or neck pain | 18% |
| Obesity | 18% |
| Oral Health (cavities, gum disease) | 14% |
| Heart disease/hypertension/high blood pressure | 13% |
| Diabetes or pre-diabetes | 12% |
| Autoimmune disease (Arthritis, lupus, IBD, MS, Crohn's, etc.) | 9% |
| Pulmonary disease (Asthma, COPD, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, etc.) | 7% |
| Eye disorder (macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, etc.) | 6% |
| Eating disorder | 6% |
| Osteoporosis | 5% |
| Cancer (prostate, colon, breast, ovarian, etc.) | 3% |
| Alzheimer's/dementia | 1% |
| Other | 5% |
| No, I do not have a chronic condition | 41% |
* Total percentage exceeds 100% because many respondents have more than one chronic condition.
Respondents also utilized one or more digital health apps and tools, with activity trackers and nutrition apps among the most popular:
| Digital Health Tool* | Percent |
|---|---|
| Fitness/exercise/pedometer app | 50% |
| Food/nutrition app | 46% |
| Weight loss app | 39% |
| Wearable activity tracker (Fitbit, Jawbone, Apple Watch, etc.) | 38% |
| Heart rate app | 30% |
| Pharmacy app | 28% |
| Patient portal | 22% |
| Sleep app | 22% |
| Blood pressure app | 19% |
| Smart/wireless scale | 16% |
| Stress app | 15% |
| Symptoms navigator | 14% |
| Medication tracker | 14% |
| Mood/emotional well-being app | 14% |
| Price comparison app for prescription drugs | 11% |
| Price comparison app for medical/provider services | 10% |
| Blood glucose monitor | 9% |
| Internet connected thermometer | 8% |
| Disease management app | 7% |
| Smoking cessation app | 6% |
| Telemedicine app | 5% |
| Other | 1% |
* Total percentage exceeds 100% because many respondents have more than one digital health tool.
When individuals who are enrolled in a wellness program are asked: “what is the biggest motivator to use these technology tools?”, the number one answer (42%) was “knowledge of my numbers,” while 10 percent said incentives are their biggest motivator to use digital health. However, when asked if incentives motivated users to use their digital health tools more frequently, 91% said yes.
| Biggest Motivator To Use Digital Health Tools | Percent |
|---|---|
| Knowledge--I know my numbers | 42% |
| Improving my health--It helps me manage my condition/reach my health goals | 26% |
| Accountability--I know someone is tracking the results | 19% |
| Incentive--I know I can earn a reward for using it | 10% |
| Nothing--I am not really motivated to use it | 3% |
“Digital health tools have exploded in growth — but more so in the lifestyle management category than in clinical/disease management,” Bryce Williams, CEO and President of HealthMine, said in a statement. “Every member may not benefit from an activity tracker. For these tools to be effective, they must be tailored to individual needs and connect to the individual’s bigger picture of health data.”
The HealthMine Survey queried 500 consumers who use mobile and/or Internet-connected health applications/devices and are enrolled in a 2016 health plan. The survey was fielded by Survey Sampling International (SSI) in March of 2016. The margin of error is 4 percent.