Health Payer Intelligence October 27, 2020
If improved nationwide, high health literacy could lower Medicare spending by $25.4 billion and lead to more preventive care services and better member outcomes.
Health literacy is key to improving member health outcomes, particularly among Medicare beneficiaries, a UnitedHealth Group research report emphasized.
“Health literacy represents the ability of individuals to gain access to, understand, and use information in ways that promote and maintain good health for themselves, their families, and their communities,” the report explained. “Individuals with limited health literacy can encounter challenges interpreting basic health information, such as hospital discharge and medication dosing instructions.”
Several factors are instrumental in determining individual health literacy levels, including education level, language, health behaviors, and the health systems that they access.
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