An Examination of Veteran Health Access Around the Medicare Eligibility Age

Recent news reports suggest that veterans' health care may be inadequate. We use Health and Retirement Study data to compare utilization rates for preventative care by male veterans and nonveterans before and after the near-universal health coverage at Medicare eligibility. Larger increases in utilization rates for preventative services upon reaching Medicare eligibility at age 65 are associated with less health care adequacy before Medicare eligibility. Results suggest that health care adequacy for male veterans between the ages of 56 and 64 is at least as good as that of nonveterans and may be better. (JEL I14, J14). © 2017 Western Economic Association International