Patient access is improving in some areas, but the journey is still being shaped by two major forces: administrative complexity and cost. Experian Health’s State of Patient Access 2026 report indicates that improvements in patient access have stalled, with an equal 18% of patients reporting that access has gotten better and worse. At the same time, delays tied to insurance verification, authorization and intake continue to affect how quickly patients can get care.
Providers are feeling the same pressure points. Their top patient access challenge is improving the speed, accuracy and completeness of insurance searches, followed by encouraging patients to use digital access tools and managing authorizations more efficiently.
To better understand where patient access is improving and where challenges persist, Experian Health surveyed more than 1,000 patients and 200+ healthcare revenue cycle leaders. The findings highlight the growing importance of accurate estimates, reliable patient data and smoother digital experiences across the patient journey.
Here are the results:
Download the State of Patient Access 2026 report to discover insights healthcare leaders can use to improve the patient experience and protect revenue.
