Impact of the 2008-2009 economic recession on screening colonoscopy utilization among the insured.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Economic factors might affect the use of recommended preventative services. We sought to determine whether the recent severe economic recession was associated with diminished screening colonoscopy rates among an insured population and to assess the relationship between out-of-pocket (OOP) costs and screening colonoscopy use.

Methods

Administrative data from 106 health plans (IMS LifeLink Health Plan Claims Database) were analyzed to determine monthly rates of screening colonoscopies performed on beneficiaries ages 50 to 64 years between January 2005 and November 2007 (prerecession), as well as from December 2007 through June 2009 (recession). Segmented regression models were used to evaluate changes in screening colonoscopy rates, as well as the relationshi

SUBMITTER: Dorn SD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4566928 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature