Nearly 70% of Served Population Face Limited Access to a Local Pharmacy
SelectQuote, Inc. (NYSE: SLQT) (the “Company”), a leading distributor of Medicare insurance policies and owner of a rapidly-growing healthcare services platform, today released a new research brief offering in-depth insights into the complex medical and social needs of the population it serves. The findings from tens of thousands of patient health needs assessments gathered by the Company’s Healthcare Select division highlight significant challenges across chronic care management, medication access, and financial security, underscoring the critical industry need for personalized, integrated healthcare solutions.
Key Research Findings:
- Underserved Beneficiaries: Given that SelectQuote and Healthcare Select connect with beneficiaries telephonically, this population significantly over-indexes in historically-underserved areas lacking significant access to more traditional healthcare providers. 45% of Healthcare Select members reside in a rural zip code and 36% reside in an urban zip code, while only 11% reside in a suburban zip code.
- Chronic Conditions: 74% of the population reported that they are dealing with two or more chronic conditions.
- High Prescription Use: 75% of members regularly take 5 or more prescriptions.
- Financial Headwinds: As 77% of SelectRx patients report annual household income of under $20,000, Social Determinants of Health often compound the treatment of health issues. 19% report having trouble accessing food on a regular basis. 36% indicate they are worried about being able to pay for bills if they were to face a serious illness.
- Medication Delays: 16% of Healthcare Select members report having delayed taking medication for financial reasons.
- Adherence Challenges: 40% of members have reported either forgetting to take their medications or failing to pick up prescriptions from a pharmacy. Independent studies indicate that failure to take medications consistently as prescribed (i.e., non-adherence) contributes to reduced treatment efficacy and poor disease control, higher rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and increased morbidity and mortality.
- Limited Pharmacy Access: Given their geographic concentration, approximately ⅔ of the population served by the Company’s SelectRx pharmacy reside in a “pharmacy desert” with limited access to local pharmacies.
- Transportation: The headwinds to quality pharmacy access are exacerbated by the fact that 31% of Healthcare Select members report that they lack access to reliable transportation.
“This research provides a clear, data-driven look at the barriers to care faced by a large segment of the Medicare-eligible population,” said Bob Grant, SelectQuote President. “The high prevalence of chronic conditions, coupled with geographic and financial obstacles, illustrates why traditional one-size-fits-all healthcare is insufficient. We are committed to using this data to drive personalized solutions that effectively address these gaps.”
Mr. Grant continued, “We purpose-built Healthcare Select and our SelectRx pharmacy model to meet the needs of these underserved Medicare beneficiaries by combining telephonic outreach, personalized care coordination, direct prescription delivery, and packaging that improves adherence. By removing barriers like transportation and limited local pharmacy access, SelectRx helps patients manage complex medication regimens and improves adherence, ultimately driving better health outcomes.”
As Healthcare Select works to address members’ most pressing gaps in care — specifically in medication adherence, Social Determinants of Health, remote diagnostics and therapeutics, and chronic condition management — the Company actively seeks partners. SelectQuote invites innovative organizations and solution providers to connect with its Business Development team to collaboratively address these pressing issues impacting member care.
About SelectQuote:
Founded in 1985, SelectQuote (NYSE: SLQT) pioneered the model of providing unbiased comparisons from multiple, highly-rated insurance companies, allowing consumers to choose the policy and terms that best meet their unique needs. Two foundational pillars underpin SelectQuote’s success: a strong force of highly-trained and skilled agents who provide a consultative needs analysis for every consumer, and proprietary technology that sources and routes high-quality leads. Today, the Company operates an ecosystem offering high touchpoints for consumers across insurance, pharmacy, and virtual care.
With an ecosystem offering engagement points for consumers across insurance, Medicare, pharmacy, and value-based care, the company now has three core business lines: SelectQuote Senior, SelectQuote Healthcare Services, and SelectQuote Life. SelectQuote Senior serves the needs of a demographic that sees around 10,000 people turn 65 each day with a range of Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans. SelectQuote Healthcare Services is comprised of the SelectRx Pharmacy, a Patient-Centered Pharmacy Home™ (PCPH) accredited pharmacy, SelectPatient Management, a provider of chronic care management services, and Healthcare Select, which proactively connects consumers with a wide breadth of healthcare services supporting their needs.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251015366315/en/
Contacts
Investor Relations:
Sloan Bohlen
877-678-4083
investorrelations@selectquote.com
Media:
Matt Gunter
913-286-4931
matt.gunter@selectquote.com