Health Measures and Willingness to Pay for Internet Services

Introduction: With the rapid adoption of telehealth services, health measures are increasingly tied to internet access. However, there is limited literature on how internet connectivity correlates to health measures and health care utilization. We examined the links between willingness to pay (WTP) for internet services and health measures, namely, health insurance type, general health, physical health, mental health, health literacy, and cost/transportation barriers to health care access. Methods: We designed a custom survey and collected 5, 200 responses in four U.S. states. We implemented a stratified conjoint analysis to estimate the WTP for internet speed and quality and its connections to health measures. Results: Among insurance plan types, Medicare beneficiaries had the lowest WTP—lower than the uninsured. Respondents with more days of poor mental health had significantly higher WTP. We found no links between health literacy and WTP. Those who delayed care due to transportation barriers had lower WTP. Respondents who did not disclose health information consistently had lower WTP. Discussions: We documented strong ties between health measures and WTP for internet services. At a time when health care utilization increasingly depends on internet connectivity, policymakers must identify and plan for technological factors that could hinder health care utilization or jeopardize population longevity and health.