Spurring enrollment in Medicare savings programs through a substitute for the asset test focused on investment income.

TitleSpurring enrollment in Medicare savings programs through a substitute for the asset test focused on investment income.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2012
AuthorsDorn, S, Shang, B
JournalHealth Aff (Millwood)
Volume31
Issue2
Pagination367-75
Date Published2012 Feb
ISSN Number1544-5208
KeywordsCost Savings, Eligibility Determination, Financing, Personal, Humans, Medicare, Poverty, United States
Abstract

Fewer than one-third of eligible Medicare beneficiaries enroll in Medicare savings programs, which pay premiums and, in some cases, eliminate out-of-pocket cost sharing for poor and near-poor enrollees. Many beneficiaries don't participate in savings programs because they must complete a cumbersome application process, including a burdensome asset test. We demonstrate that a streamlined alternative to the asset test-allowing seniors to qualify for Medicare savings programs by providing evidence of limited assets or showing a lack of investment income-would permit 78 percent of currently eligible seniors to bypass the asset test entirely. This simplified approach would increase the number of beneficiaries who qualify for Medicare savings programs from the current 3.6 million seniors to 4.6 million. Such an alternative would keep benefits targeted to people with low assets, eliminate costly administrative expenses and obstacles to enrollment associated with the asset test, and avoid the much larger influx of seniors that would occur if the asset test were eliminated entirely.

Notes

Copyright - Copyright The People to People Health Foundation, Inc., Project HOPE Feb 2012 Language of summary - English Location - United States--US Pages - 367-75 ProQuest ID - 921992803 Document feature - Tables; References SubjectsTermNotLitGenreText - United States--US Last updated - 2012-06-05 Place of publication - Chevy Chase Corporate institution author - Dorn, Stan; Shang, Baoping DOI - 2588825981; 67448192; 15986; HAF; 22323167; INNNHAF0000865869

DOI10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0443
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22323167?dopt=Abstract

Endnote Keywords

Financing, Personal/Cost Savings/Medicare/public policy/assets/medicare savings programs/socioeconomic factors

Endnote ID

69534

Alternate JournalHealth Aff (Millwood)
Citation Key7732
PubMed ID22323167