Health Affairs, doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.25.w344 (Published online August 1, 2006) © 2006 by Project HOPE	New Online   Obama's Success & Next Steps   3 Health Policy Options for President Obama   A Hybrid Proposal   Bipartisan Compromise

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Who Failed To Enroll In Medicare Part D, And Why? Early Results

¹ Florian Heiss is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Economics, University of Munich, Germany.
² Daniel McFadden is the E. Morris Cox Professor, Department of Economics, University of California, Berkeley.
³ Joachim Winter is a professor of economics in the Department of Economics, University of Munich. All three authors are affiliates of the RAND HRS program project on Internet surveying. McFadden is also a faculty affiliate of the University of Michigan Survey Research Center and a principal investigator in the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) project on the economics of aging. He is past president of the American Economic Association and a recipient of the Clark, Frisch, Laffont, Nemmers, Nobel, and Stone prizes.

^*Corresponding author.

Abstract

Early results on the Medicare Part D prescription drug program, from a survey of people age sixty-five and older who were interviewed just before enrollment started and just after it ended, indicate that Medicare has met its target of 90 percent coverage. Enrollment rates in vulnerable subpopulations--poor health, low income, or cognitive impairment--are almost high enough to offset lower rates of other coverage. However, sizable numbers of elderly people remain uncovered, contrary to their self-interest. Seniors give Part D mixed reviews, and majorities are less satisfied with Medicare and with the government as a result of their experience with this program. [Health Affairs 25 (2006): w344-w354; 10.1377/hlthaff.25.w344]

Key Words: Access To Care, Business Of Health, Consumer Issues, Elderly, Health Reform, Managed Care - Medicare, Medicare, Pharmaceuticals, Health Spending

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