The findings of better satisfaction, access, and security experienced by Medicare beneficiaries mean that would-be Medicare reformers need to be cautious if they want to make the program more like the private sector, according to the Commonwealth Fund's survey.
"Medicare beneficiaries' more positive access experiences and ratings of their care indicate that their coverage is working relatively well in providing choice of services and access to needed care," writes Commonwealth Fund president Karen Davis and her colleagues. "Thus, attempts to reform Medicare that would pattern coverage on private employer coverage run the risk of undermining the confidence of the people it is designed to serve."
The survey, based on interviews with 3,457 Americans age 19 and older in July 2001, also found that elderly Medicare beneficiaries were one-quarter as likely to report problems paying their bills and less than half as likely to say they paid a lot out of pocket for drugs or dental services, according to the Commonwealth Fund's survey.
Other findings:
The authors write that the latter two findings indicate the need for prescription drug coverage under Medicare, because beneficiaries without such coverage were more likely to report high out-of-pocket costs. The article can be read at http://www.healthaffairs.org/WebExclusives/Davis_Web_ Excl_100902.htm .
Health Affairs, published by Project HOPE, is a bimonthly multidisciplinary journal devoted to publishing the leading edge in health policy thought and research.
Health Affairs