Image: James Andrews1/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffAbout 30 percent of persons age 50 and older have deferred preventive health care or treatment due to the pandemic—either out of their own concern about exposure in a health care setting or because the provider could not accommodate a scheduled appointment–a study has found.
That includes previously scheduled care such as dental appointments, primary care visits and other tests, procedures and even operations, said the National Poll on Healthy Aging at the University of Michigan.
“Whether they chose to postpone or their provider did, these patients missed opportunities for preventive care and for early detection and effective management of chronic conditions, not to mention operations and procedures to address a pressing health need . . . it’s important for everyone to remember that COVID-19 is not the only risk to health,” said an announcement of the results.
Of those who had care deferred last year, about a third had since received that care, another third had rescheduled but not received it, and another third had not even rescheduled it.
“The difference in rescheduling between adults of different vaccination status was stark: 44% of unvaccinated older adults whose test, procedure or operation was disrupted have rescheduled it, compared with 81% of vaccinated and boosted older adult,” it added.
While the study did not focus on federal employees and retirees in particular, similar trends have been observed in the FEHB program for them—to the extent that OPM has said that deferred care has been a factor in holding down claims rates, and therefore following-year premiums, in that program.
The inspector general’s office at OPM said last year that FEHB enrollees taking health risks by deferring preventive care services due to the pandemic. It found that in the early months of 2020 among carriers that represent 80 percent of the FEHB population, women’s preventive exams and colonoscopies each fell by about a third, mammograms by about a quarter and annual wellness visits, pediatric immunizations and prostate exams by about a fifth. Rates picked up in the fall of that year but not by enough to make up for the earlier deferrals, it found.
Carrying FEGLI Into Retirement
Blackout Periods Ahead for Investment Changes, Other TSP Transactions
Delaying Social Security Is Like Buying an Annuity, Says Report
The Latest on the WEP and the GPO
Basics of Sick Leave for Federal Workers
Annual Leave, One of Top Benefits to Federal Employees
