Research Symposium

BIO

I’m Charles, a sophomore Biology major. I’m from Tallahassee and my research focuses on how patients’ perceptions of insurance affect medical decisions. I work as a Chemistry Learning Assistant for Dr. Judy Clark and do research with PhD candidate Matilda Vevera. I’ve been on the President’s List every semester and hope to pursue a career in dentistry.

Doctors, Patients, and Insurance Relations

Abstract

This research examines how insurance coverage influences patients’ perceptions and choices during healthcare decision making. While insurance is a central part of the American healthcare system, previous studies have focused mostly on economic effects, leaving its role in shaping patient and provider decisions less understood. Using a multi-method approach, the project began with qualitative coding of interviews to capture perspectives from both patients and doctors. These insights informed the design of a formal lab experiment, which examined how insurance information affects the set of medical treatments considered for final choice. Preliminary results show that access to coverage information leads participants to consider more suboptimal medications and fewer optimal ones, while the total number of options considered stays the same. These findings suggest that insurance perceptions can strongly influence patient decisions beyond cost and highlight the importance of evaluating its role in healthcare choices.

Keywords: Insurance perceptions, Patient choices, Healthcare decisions, Doctor-patient relations