Beneficiaries with cardiovascular disease and thePart D coverage gap.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Medicare Part D improved access to cardiovascular medications. Increased cardiovascular drug use and resulting health improvements could be derailed when beneficiaries enter the coverage gap and must pay 100% of drug costs. The coverage gap remains the subject of Congressional debate; evidence regarding its impact on cardiovascular drug use and health outcomes is needed.

Methods and results

We followed 122 255 Medicare beneficiaries with cardiovascular conditions with linked prescription and medical claims who reached the coverage gap spending threshold in 2006 or 2007. Beneficiaries entered the study on reaching the threshold and were followed until an event, the catastrophic coverage spending threshold, or year's end. We matched 3980 beneficiaries who reached th

SUBMITTER: Polinski JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3361758 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature