Before the Appointment: Half of Insured Employees Have Delayed Care Because They Couldn’t Confidently Navigate Their Provider Network

Nearly 1 in 4 who delayed care and eventually sought treatment say it was more extensive than it would have been with earlier care.

When someone notices something wrong with their health, the first question is typically “How serious is this?” The next question is often whether they can count on their health plan–not just to cover their care, but to help them find the right in-network provider. For half of surveyed employer-insured workers , uncertainty about the answer to that second question is actually delaying care.

The MagnaCare 2026 Network Rental Survey, commissioned by MagnaCare, was designed to measure how much provider network uncertainty is shaping care decisions before employees ever seek treatment. The 600 respondents were all adults with employer-sponsored health insurance, and the survey tracks what happens from the initial hesitation to the eventual appointment, including what some heard from their providers once they arrived. The percentages in this report are representative of that population.

Key Findings of the MagnaCare 2026 Network Rental Survey

• 50% have delayed care due to network uncertainty: Respondents say they delayed seeking care for a health concern specifically because they weren’t sure they could find and access covered, in-network providers.
• 56% name out-of-network cost risk as the biggest factor in care decisions: That’s the highest rate among the five factors tested, and that number is consistent across income levels.
• 24% say delayed care led to more complex treatment: Among those who eventually sought care after delaying, nearly 1 in 4 say the treatment was more involved or extensive than it would have been if they had come in sooner.
• 56% of Gen Z workers have considered changing jobs for better network access: That’s 12 points higher than Millennials (44%) and the highest rate among all generations surveyed.
• 87% say a better network would be a meaningful benefit improvement: Thirty-six percent call it “extremely likely” to make a real difference, a response that is highest among higher earners.

“We commissioned this survey because we wanted to understand what happens before an employee ever seeks care,” said Michelle Zettergren,  president of MagnaCare. “It’s easy to assume that because employees have health coverage, they’re able to access the care they need. These results suggest that’s often not the case. Half of covered workers surveyed have delayed care because they didn’t know if their network gave them access to the care they needed. A quarter of them have delayed care more than once. That uncertainty doesn’t just affect when they seek treatment–it shapes how they experience their health plan and the value they believe it provides.”

Out-of-network cost fear tops the list of care decision factors

The MagnaCare 2026 Network Rental Survey found that 32% of employer-insured adults think about finding an in-network provider “often” or “almost always” before seeking non-emergency care, and another 45% say it sometimes crosses their mind. On the question of what factors drive their care decisions, 56% name out-of-network cost risk as a major factor, ahead of provider availability in a reasonable timeframe (38%) and reliable cost estimates before a visit (35%).

The fear is about predictability: an out-of-date directory listing or an out-of-network specialist brought in mid-procedure can turn a covered visit into an unexpected bill.

Among Gen Z respondents, the concern climbs to 70%. Parents and expecting parents think about it more often too: 38% say it crosses their mind often or almost always when weighing whether to seek care, compared to 27% of non-parents.

50% have delayed care, and most of the rest have thought about it

Fifty percent of respondents say they have delayed seeking care because they weren’t sure they could access the care they needed through an in-network provider. A quarter have done it once; another quarter have done it multiple times. An additional 18% have seriously considered delaying but haven’t followed through. Altogether, 68% of employer-insured Americans surveyed have had network uncertainty shape their decision to seek care.

When employees can’t confidently navigate their provider network, delaying care becomes a predictable response. For a quarter of employer-insured Americans, it’s become a recurring one.

Millennials make up the largest share of the workforce, and 56% of them have delayed care due to network uncertainty. Among Gen Z respondents, it’s 77%, though that figure should be read as directional given the smaller sample.

The wait is often measured in months

For most of the 301 respondents who delayed seeking care, the wait stretched into weeks or months. Thirty-two percent waited between two weeks and a month. Another 26% waited one to three months. Sixteen percent waited longer than three months, including 6% who waited more than six. Eight percent haven’t sought care for the concern at all.

The most common hope during that wait was that the problem would disappear without intervention. Fifty-nine percent hoped the concern would resolve on its own, and 45% hoped to have more time to figure out the access to care provided by their network. Thirty-eight percent hoped their financial situation would improve enough to handle potential costs.

Among respondents who eventually addressed the concern they’d delayed, 24% say it got worse while they waited (20% gradually, 4% significantly). The remaining majority saw the concern stay about the same or resolve on its own, though 27% of those resolutions happened without any treatment. Survey data can’t tell us which of those self-resolutions would have looked different with earlier care.

Nearly 1 in 4 who delayed say treatment became more involved

Among those who delayed and eventually received treatment, 24% say the care was more involved or extensive than they believe it would have been if they’d come in sooner.

Eighteen percent of respondents have received unexpected out-of-network bills specifically because a delayed concern became urgent, leaving no time to verify in-network status or be selective about where they sought care.

Among those whose delayed care made a concern worse, 48% say they still hesitate before seeking care because their network access concerns haven’t changed. Only 31% say they now seek care sooner when they’re uncertain about their network. Getting a worse outcome doesn’t appear to change the hesitation that led to the delay.

Network uncertainty has reduced benefit satisfaction for nearly half of covered employees

Forty-eight percent of employer-insured adults say network uncertainty has reduced their satisfaction with their employer-provided health benefits.

Among Millennials, the largest generation in the workforce, 56% report reduced satisfaction and 44% have considered changing jobs for a better provider network. For Gen Z respondents, the generation entering the workforce behind them, both figures are higher: 74% and 56%.

MagnaCare’s third-party administration is there to give employees reliable answers about network access before they need care.

87% say a better network would make a difference

When asked how likely they’d be to consider a health plan with a more accurate, accessible, and up-to-date provider directory a meaningful benefit improvement, 87% of respondents say “somewhat likely” or “extremely likely.” Thirty-six percent choose “extremely likely — it would make a real difference to me.”

Network access is where benefits succeed or fail

Taken together, these findings describe a specific failure in how employer coverage functions. Employees face questions about their provider network they can’t reliably answer before seeking care. That uncertainty leads them to delay. Delay leads, for some, to more complex treatment. And over time, the uncertainty erodes confidence in a benefit the employer is paying for.

The problems this survey measures trace back to how networks are designed, communicated,  and administered. MagnaCare gives benefits consultants access to the MagnaCare network, a provider directory built for accuracy and accessibility. TPA services help employees navigate it without the uncertainty this survey documents.

“The survey data points to a specific and solvable problem,” Zettergren said. “Employees shouldn’t have to guess where to go for care or whether that care is covered. That starts with a network of quality providers that’s accessible, accurate, and easy to navigate. That’s what our MagnaCare network is built to deliver.”

Survey Methodology

The MagnaCare 2026 Network Rental Survey was conducted in May 2026 via Pollfish among 600 U.S. adults ages 20 to 64 with employer-sponsored health insurance. The survey measured how provider network uncertainty shapes healthcare decision-making, care-seeking behavior, and employment thinking among insured workers. The research was commissioned by MagnaCare.