Do Medicare Beneficiaries Living With HIV/AIDS Choose Prescription Drug Plans That Minimize Their Total Spending?
Inquiry
; 54: 46958017734032, 2017 01 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28990452
This article examines whether California Medicare beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS choose Part D prescription drug plans that minimize their expenses. Among beneficiaries without low-income supplementation, we estimate the excess cost, and the insurance policy and beneficiary characteristics responsible, when the lowest cost plan is not chosen. We use a cost calculator developed for this study, and 2010 drug use data on 1453 California Medicare beneficiaries with HIV who were taking antiretroviral medications. Excess spending is defined as the difference between projected total spending (premium and cost sharing) for the beneficiary's current drug regimen in own plan vs spending for the lowest cost alternative plan. Regression analyses related this excess spending to individual and plan characteristics. We find that beneficiaries pay more for Medicare Part D plans with gap coverage and no deductible. Higher premiums for more extensive coverage exceeded savings in deductible and copayment/coinsurance costs. We conclude that many beneficiaries pay for plan features whose costs exceed their benefits.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Infecciones por VIH
/
Seguro de Costos Compartidos
/
Antirretrovirales
/
Medicare Part D
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Límite:
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Inquiry
Año:
2017
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos
Pais de publicación:
Estados Unidos