Impact of Medicare Part D Coverage Gap on Drug Use
Author Information
Author(s): Jennifer M. Polinski, William H. Shrank, Haiden A. Huskamp, Robert J. Glynn, Joshua N. Liberman, Sebastian Schneeweiss
Primary Institution: Brigham and Women's Hospital
Hypothesis
Beneficiaries without financial assistance during the Medicare coverage gap will be more likely to discontinue medications and less likely to switch to cheaper alternatives.
Conclusion
The lack of financial assistance during the Medicare coverage gap led to a doubling in the rate of discontinuing essential medications but did not increase the likelihood of switching to cheaper drugs.
Supporting Evidence
- Beneficiaries without financial assistance were twice as likely to discontinue essential medications.
- Those without assistance were less likely to switch to cheaper drugs.
- An estimated 18,000 additional patients discontinued medications annually due to the coverage gap.
Takeaway
When older people have to pay for their own medicine, they often stop taking it instead of switching to cheaper options.
Methodology
The study followed Medicare beneficiaries and compared drug discontinuation and switching rates between those with and without financial assistance during the coverage gap.
Potential Biases
Potential unmeasured confounding factors may affect the results.
Limitations
The study may not generalize to all Medicare beneficiaries as it focused on those enrolled in specific plans.
Participant Demographics
The study included community-dwelling, fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries, primarily aged 65 and older.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.64–2.43
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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