Recent Findings from University of Pennsylvania Has Provided New Information about Medicare and Medicaid (Perceived barriers to healthcare and…

Managed Care Weekly Digest

Recent Findings from University of Pennsylvania Has Provided New Information about Medicare and Medicaid (Perceived barriers to healthcare and receipt of recommended medical care among elderly Medicare beneficiaries)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Managed Care Weekly Digest -- Research findings on Medicare and Medicaid are discussed in a new report. According to news originating from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, "Many Medicare beneficiaries perceive barriers to receiving healthcare, although the consequences are unknown. Facilitators can aid in the receipt of healthcare services."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the University of Pennsylvania, "The objective was to assess the relationship between perceived facilitators and barriers to healthcare and actual receipt of recommended medical care among elderly beneficiaries. A cohort study using data from the 2001-2008 entry panels of the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey that included 24,607 community-dwelling beneficiaries 65 years of age and older. Surveys elicited perceptions of healthcare with respect to: care coordination and quality; access to medical care; getting or delaying healthcare because of financial reasons; transportation; and usual source of care. The outcome was receipt of recommended medical care, expressed as an aggregate of 38 indicators covering initial evaluation, diagnostic tests, therapeutic interventions, hospitalization follow-up, and routine preventive care. Multivariable survey logistic regression produced odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for receipt of recommended medical care, adjusted for sociodemographics, insurance, comorbidities, and disability. Beneficiaries who reported having trouble getting or reported delaying healthcare because of financial reasons (barrier) (adjusted OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.73-0.86) and those who reported having no usual source of care (facilitator) (adjusted OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.48-0.63) were less likely to receive recommended medical care. Survey data that capture patient perceptions of facilitators and barriers to healthcare may be useful for identifying system factors that affect timely receipt of recommended medical care."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "This information can inform the design of policies and programs to improve the healthcare of older adults."

For more information on this research see: Perceived barriers to healthcare and receipt of recommended medical care among elderly Medicare beneficiaries. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 2017;72():45-51. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics can be contacted at: Elsevier Ireland Ltd, Elsevier House, Brookvale Plaza, East Park Shannon, Co, Clare, 00000, Ireland. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics - www.journals.elsevier.com/archives-of-gerontology-and-geriatrics/)

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from J.E. Kurichi, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman Sch Med, Center Clin Epidemiol & Biostat, Dept. of Biostat & Epidemiol, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States. Additional authors for this research include L. Pezzin, J.E. Streim, P.L. Kwong, L. Na, H.R. Bogner, D.W. Xie and S. Hennessy (see also Medicare and Medicaid).

Keywords for this news article include: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America, Medicare and Medicaid, Investment and Finance, Health Policy, Medicare, University of Pennsylvania.