Dental use and expenditures for older uninsured Americans: the simulated impact of expanded coverage.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine if providing dental insurance to older Americans would close the current gaps in dental use and expenditure between insured and uninsured older Americans.

Data sources/study setting

We used data from the 2008 Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) supplemented by data from the 2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).

Study design

We compared the simulated dental use and expenditures rates of newly insured persons against the corresponding rates for those previously insured.

Data collection/extraction methods

The HRS is a nationally representative survey administered by the Institute for Social Research (ISR). The MEPS is a nationally representative household survey sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Pr

SUBMITTER: Manski RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4295003 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature