Medicare part D and changes in prescription drug use and cost burden: national estimates for the Medicare population, 2000 to 2007.

ABSTRACT:

Context

The full effect of Medicare Part D, after the initial policy transition period and across the United States Medicare population, remains unclear.

Objective

To estimate nationally representative changes in prescription drug use and out-of-pocket drug costs 2 years after implementation of Part D.

Design, setting, and participants

We examined study outcomes over 8 years (2000 to 2007) and estimated changes after Part D, accounting for earlier trends. Our analyses used the community-dwelling sample of the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (unweighted unique n=38,798). Actual post-Part D outcomes were compared with projected values using 2000 to 2005 data. Subgroup analyses and standardization weights were used to address population-level shifts over time in heal

SUBMITTER: Briesacher BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3151472 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature