Recent Findings from Vanderbilt University Has Provided New Information about Insurance (Evaluating Access To Care for Medicare Beneficiaries Younger Than 65 Years): Insurance

2025 JUN 26 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health Policy and Law Daily -- Research findings on Insurance are discussed in a new report. According to news reporting originating from Nashville, Tennessee, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Individuals younger than 65 years can qualify for Medicare if they have long-term disabilities or certain qualifying conditions. These beneficiaries-particularly the non-dual-eligible population-may experience cost and access barriers to medical care.”

Funders for this research include Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA), NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from Vanderbilt University, “We examined the association between Medicare coverage type and reported barriers to care. Multivariable linear probability models assessed the association between self-reported Medicare coverage and patient-reported outcomes by dual-eligibility status. Using 2012-2020 data from the Health and Retirement Study, we compared self-reported sociodemographic and health-related characteristics of non-dual-eligible and dual-eligible beneficiaries aged 50 to 64 years by Medicare coverage type at their baseline interview. We then examined the following self-reported outcomes: experiencing cost-related medication nonadherence, delaying care due to cost, not having a usual source of care, and having trouble finding a doctor. Among non-dual-eligible beneficiaries, enrollment in traditional Medicare ™ plus supplemental coverage vs TM with no supplemental coverage was associated with lower reported rates of experiencing cost-related medication nonadherence (-7.5 percentage point [PP] change; 95% CI, -12.1 to-3.0), delaying care due to cost (-9.8 PP; 95% CI, -13.3 to-6.3), and having no usual source of care (-5.5 PP; 95% CI, -8.9 to-2.1). Compared with TM with no supplement, Medicare Advantage enrollment was associated with lower rates of delaying care due to cost (-4.2 PP; 95% CI, -7.6 to-0.7) and having no usual source of care (-5.2 PP; 95% CI, -8.2 to-2.3). Among dual-eligible beneficiaries, outcomes largely did not differ by coverage type. Switching from traditional Medicare to Medicare Advantage was associated with trouble finding a doctor for dual-eligible beneficiaries.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Enrollment in less generous Medicare coverage was associated with greater cost and access barriers to care for beneficiaries younger than 65 years.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Evaluating Access To Care for Medicare Beneficiaries Younger Than 65 Years. American Journal of Managed Care, 2025;31(5). American Journal of Managed Care can be contacted at: Managed Care & Healthcare Communications Llc, 666 Plainsboro Rd, Ste 300, Plainsboro, NJ 08536, USA.

The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Emma M. Achola, Vanderbilt University, School of Medicine, Dept. of Health Policy, 2525 West End Ave, Ste 1275, Nashville, TN 37212, United States. Additional authors for this research include Shelley A. Jazowski, Laura M. Keohane, Stacie B. Dusetzina, Lauren Hersch Nicholas, William A. Wood and Christopher R. Friese.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.37765/ajmc.2025.89732. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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