Prescription drug coverage and effects on drug expenditures among elderly Medicare beneficiaries.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To identify determinants of drug coverage among elderly Medicare beneficiaries and to investigate the impact of drug coverage on drug expenditures with and without taking selection bias into account.

Data sources/study setting

The primary data were from the 2000 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) Cost and Use file, linked to other data sources at the county or state-level that provided instrumental variables. Community-dwelling elderly Medicare beneficiaries who completed the survey were included in the study (N=7,525). A probit regression to predict the probability of having drug coverage and the effects of drug coverage on drug expenditures was estimated by a two-part model, assuming no correlation across equations. In addition, the discrete factor model

SUBMITTER: Huh S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2442248 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature