Findings on Medicare and Medicaid Detailed by Investigators at Virginia Commonwealth University (Closing the Medicare Doughnut Hole Changes in…

Findings on Medicare and Medicaid Detailed by Investigators at Virginia Commonwealth University (Closing the Medicare Doughnut Hole Changes in Prescription Drug Utilization and Out-of-Pocket Spending Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Part D ...)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Data detailed on Medicare and Medicaid have been presented. According to news reporting out of Richmond, Virginia, by VerticalNews editors, research stated, "The Affordable Care Act (ACA) include provisions that reduce beneficiaries' cost sharing and eventually closes the coverage gap-known as the 'doughnut hole'-that was originally part of Medicare prescription drug coverage implemented in 2006. This study examines changes in overall prescription drug utilization and out-of-pocket spending as well as by manufacturer type (brand vs. generic), through 2013 as a result of the doughnut hole provisions of the ACA."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Virginia Commonwealth University, "This analysis is based on data from Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the sample for this analysis includes all individuals 55 years of age and older. A difference-indifferences methodology was adopted to measure changes in drug utilization and out-of-pocket spending among both the treatment group and the comparison group after the ACA. The findings from this study suggest that overall out-of-pocket spending significantly decreased after closing the coverage gap, mainly because of a significant reduction in out-of-pocket spending on brand-name drugs. Conversely, the results show that generic drug utilization increased after closing the coverage gap. As expected, the effects were considerably larger for people who fell into the doughnut hole."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "The ACA doughnut hole provisions likely contributed to a reduction in out-of-pocket spending for prescription drugs for part D beneficiaries, especially for people who fell into the doughnut hole."

For more information on this research see: Closing the Medicare Doughnut Hole Changes in Prescription Drug Utilization and Out-of-Pocket Spending Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Part D Coverage After the Affordable Care Act. Medical Care, 2017;55(1):43-49. Medical Care can be contacted at: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Two Commerce Sq, 2001 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA. (Lippincott Williams and Wilkins - www.lww.com; Medical Care - journals.lww.com/lww-medicalcare/pages/default.aspx)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting A.B. Tehrani, Virginia Commonwealth University, Dept. of Healthcare Policy & Res, Sch Med, Richmond, VA 23219, United States.

Keywords for this news article include: Richmond, Virginia, United States, North and Central America, Medicare and Medicaid, Medicare, Drugs and Therapies, Health Policy, Virginia Commonwealth University.

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