TY - JOUR T1 - Reforming beneficiary cost sharing to improve Medicare performance. JF - Inquiry Y1 - 2010 A1 - Zuckerman, Stephen A1 - Shang, Baoping A1 - Timothy A Waidmann KW - Aged KW - Aged, 80 and over KW - Cost Sharing KW - Health Expenditures KW - Humans KW - Medicare KW - Middle Aged KW - Models, Economic KW - United States AB -

This paper explores options for reforming Medicare cost sharing in an effort to provide better financial protection for those beneficiaries with the greatest health care needs. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS), we consider how unified annual deductibles, alternative coinsurance rates, and a limit on out-of-pocket spending would alter program spending, beneficiary cost sharing, and premiums for supplemental coverage. We show that adding an out-of-pocket limit and raising deductibles and coinsurance slightly would provide better safeguards to beneficiaries with high costs than the current Medicare benefit structure. Our estimates also suggest that policies protecting these beneficiaries could be structured in a way that would add little to overall program costs.

PB - 47 VL - 47 IS - 3 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21155416?dopt=Abstract U4 - Medicare/out of pocket costs/Beneficiaries ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Medicare savings programs: analyzing options for expanding eligibility. JF - Inquiry Y1 - 2009 A1 - Zuckerman, Stephen A1 - Shang, Baoping A1 - Timothy A Waidmann KW - Aged KW - Demography KW - Disabled Persons KW - Eligibility Determination KW - Female KW - Health Status KW - Humans KW - Income KW - Male KW - Medical Assistance KW - Medicare KW - Medicare Part D KW - Public Policy KW - United States AB -

The Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) are designed to provide financial assistance to Medicare beneficiaries who do not qualify for full Medicaid coverage. This paper considers changes in eligibility that would better align MSP program rules with those related to receiving low-income subsidies for the Medicare Part D drug benefit. These changes would make more people eligible for the MSPs and could encourage greater participation; similar changes were incorporated in recently passed legislation. Our analysis, based on 2006 data from the Health and Retirement Study, shows there is a trade-off between making larger numbers of beneficiaries eligible by eliminating resource requirements and better targeting of individuals with greater health care needs by expanding income standards.

PB - 46 VL - 46 UR - URL:http://www.inquiryjournal.org Publisher's URL IS - 4 N1 - Journal Article U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20184166?dopt=Abstract U3 - 20184166 U4 - Analysis of Health Care Markets/Health: Government Policy,/Public Health/Medicare Savings Programs/Health Care/Medicare/Medicare Part D ER -