Title | Out-of-pocket burden of health care spending and the adequacy of the Medicare Part D low-income subsidy. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2010 |
Authors | Briesacher, BA, Ross-Degnan, D, Wagner, AK, Fouayzi, H, Zhang, F, Gurwitz, J, Soumerai, SB |
Journal | Med Care |
Volume | 48 |
Issue | 6 |
Pagination | 503-9 |
Date Published | 2010 Jun |
ISSN Number | 1537-1948 |
Keywords | Adult, Aged, Confidence Intervals, Cost of Illness, Deductibles and Coinsurance, Drug Prescriptions, Female, Financing, Personal, Health Expenditures, Humans, Income, Male, Medicare Part D, Middle Aged, Odds Ratio, Poverty, Socioeconomic factors, United States |
Abstract | BACKGROUND: Evaluating the adequacy of Medicare prescription drug program (Part D) and its low-income subsidy (LIS) requires a comprehensive understanding of drug spending in relation to household resources. OBJECTIVE: : To estimate out-of-pocket health care costs in the year before Part D, in context of total household spending, health status, and LIS eligibility. RESEARCH DESIGN: Nationally representative cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Two thousand two hundred thirty-one Medicare families in the 2005/2006 Health and Retirement Study. METHODS: We assessed health care costs as a share of household resources remaining after spending on essential housing, food, personal care, and transportation. Burdensome health care costs were defined as exceeding 40% of nonessential resources. We used logistic regressions to assess the probability of incurring burdensome health expenditures, controlling for LIS eligibility. RESULTS: In the year before Part D, more than half of Medicare families [56.0%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 55.3-59.9] experienced burdensome health care costs. Families in poor health allocated a median of 68.1% [interquartile range (IQR): 35.1-82.9] of nonessential resources to health care (compared with 34.0% median; IQR 11.9-52.2 among families in excellent health, P < 0.011). Most (64%) out-of-pocket health care spending was allocated to health insurance premiums and medications. As many as 26% of Medicare families had burdensome health care costs but were not eligible for LIS assistance. CONCLUSIONS: Before Part D, burdensome health care expenditures were common in Medicare families. Our estimates of Part D and LIS benefits indicate a limited scope of relief. |
DOI | 10.1097/MLR.0b013e3181dbd8d3 |
User Guide Notes | |
Endnote Keywords | Low income groups/Medicare/Medicare Part D/Health care expenditures/Prescription drug plans/Families and family life/Insurance premiums/Health insurance/Health care access |
Endnote ID | 22480 |
Alternate Journal | Med Care |
Citation Key | 7455 |
PubMed ID | 20473197 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC3084515 |
Grant List | K01 AG031836 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States K01 AG031836-02 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States K01 AG 031836 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States |