At A Glance
Experian Health’s latest State of Patient Access 2026 survey captures how patients and providers feel patient access has changed over the past year. This article highlights where progress is most visible, along with opportunities for further improvement, such as appointment speed, financial clarity and front-end data accuracy.
Key takeaways:
- 46% of providers say patient access has improved, but most patients report little change, with timely appointments their top concern for the fourth consecutive year.
- Nearly one-third of patients say paying for care is worse than last year, with affordability and lack of cost clarity driving dissatisfaction.
- Digital tools are improving patient access. More patients are receiving accurate digital cost estimates, and providers are prioritizing insurance searches and authorizations, which will increase accuracy and reduce delays.
Is healthcare finally getting patient access right? Experian Health’s State of Patient Access 2026 report reveals encouraging signs of progress, with 46% of providers saying patient access is better than it was 12 months ago.
At the same time, there are always opportunities to do more. Economic strain, regulatory uncertainty and persistent staffing shortages continue to test patient access teams, while consumer expectations for fast, convenient care are rising. Providers are responding by investing more in automation and digital intake solutions, and it seems to be working.
Based on responses from more than 1,000 patients and 200 healthcare decision-makers surveyed in early 2026, the report offers a pulse check on the non-clinical patient experience. This article highlights key patient access trends for 2026.
Download the report to get comprehensive healthcare insights on patient and provider perspectives, including key priorities and challenges.
Patients see some progress, but many still struggle to get care quickly
| Key findings: |
| – 18% of patients think patient access has improved, compared to 46% of providers |
| – 64% of patients say their patient access experience is about the same as last year |
Overall, most patients have not experienced a dramatic change in patient access. Investments appear to be keeping performance steady and improving internal operations, but they’re not transforming the patient experience at scale.
There is a small rise in the number of patients who think access has improved – but the same number think it is getting worse, with both groups now at 18%.
The biggest factor behind both positive and negative perceptions is whether patients can see their practitioner quickly. This has been the most commonly reported patient challenge for four years in a row, making it one of the clearest opportunities for improvement.
For providers, staffing shortages are the main reason why access is worse. Organizations that have invested in digital, mobile and self-service scheduling report better results, with around two-thirds attributing improvements to these tools.
Paying for care remains a major stressor for patients
| Key findings: |
| – 32% of patients say paying for care is worse than last year, while 14% say it is better |
| – 55% of those who report a worse payment experience cite affordability |
Even when patients secure a timely appointment, the cost of care may put them off. Fewer than two in five patients feel confident in their ability to pay and many say they are likely to postpone care if costs feel unmanageable.
The survey suggests that improving financial clarity may help. Around three in ten patients say not understanding costs or coverage before treatment made their experience worse. By contrast, 49% of those who see improvements say it’s because they understand what their insurance covers, and 40% say knowing the cost of care in advance makes paying easier.
When costs are predictable and patient payment options are convenient and flexible, patients are more likely to proceed with treatment and pay sooner. This supports improved clinical outcomes and a better revenue cycle patient experience.
Estimates are more common and more accurate
| Key findings: |
| – 45% of patients received an estimate for the cost of care, compared to 41% in 2025 |
| – 71% said their estimate was easy to understand, up from 60% in 2025 |
Healthcare price transparency trends are moving in the right direction. More patients say they received pre-service estimates than last year, and more are receiving them digitally, with a clear breakdown of costs. The survey shows an 18-point increase in the number of people who receive estimates sent directly to their mobile devices.
Accuracy is also improving. Last year, 44% of patients said their final bill was “much more expensive” than their estimate. This year, that figure fell to 26%. Providers are closing the gap between expectation and reality, which will help foster patient trust.
To build on this, providers need estimates based on verified coverage and current pricing data. Experian Health’s Patient Payment Estimates solution uses real-time insurance information, payer contract terms and provider pricing to generate personalized out-of-pocket estimates before the patient receives care. Estimates can be sent digitally along with appropriate payment plan options and convenient payment methods.
Providers’ top patient access challenges are insurance discovery and automation
| Key findings: |
| – 86% of providers say delivering a faster, more comprehensive review of coverage is urgent |
| – 84% say automating authorizations is urgent |
As patients seek faster access and greater financial clarity, providers are focusing on the insurance and authorization processes that cause delays and errors. Improving the speed, accuracy and completeness of patient insurance searches is providers’ top challenge, selected by 39% of providers.
Part of the reason is that coverage complexity is increasing. Policy reforms such as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are expected to create further uncertainty, particularly around Medicaid enrollment.
Despite this pressure, confidence in verification processes is improving. Seventy-four percent of providers now rate their insurance verification as effective, up from 54% last year. This may reflect growing use of automation, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve patient data collection at registration.
Better front-end data has knock-on benefits for downstream revenue cycle operations, including faster intake, fewer denials and improved staff productivity. Experian Health’sPatient Access Curator™ (PAC) supports these objectives by using automation and AI to verify eligibility, coordination of benefits, demographic information, Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers and insurance coverage in seconds. This helps prevent denials before claims are submitted, directly linking front-end accuracy to revenue performance.
More details on patient access trends to watch in 2026 can be found in the full report.
FAQs
According to Experian Health’s State of Patient Access 2026 report, the biggest patient access challenges for providers include the speed and accuracy of insurance searches, getting patients to use digital access tools, efficient management of authorizations and staffing shortages.
The biggest access challenge for patients is being able to see their doctor quickly, scheduling appointments, understanding the cost of care and whether they can afford it. The report details the full findings.
Most patients rely on accurate, upfront cost estimates to decide whether to proceed with care, and many say they would delay or cancel treatment without one. Clear patient estimates improve confidence and reduce billing surprises.
Experian Health data highlights that automation, digital self-service tools and AI technology are helping providers improve insurance discovery, streamline intake, strengthen patient data collection and reduce administrative burden across the revenue cycle.
Download the State of Patient Access 2026 Report to get the full survey results.
