title: Medicare utilization by disabled-worker beneficiaries: a longitudinal analysis.
abstract: Medicare eligibility for Social Security disabled-worker beneficiaries begins after 2 years of cash benefit receipt. Extension of the current coverage is often proposed as a way to encourage beneficiaries to return to work. Little is known, however, about the long-run Medicare costs for the disabled and how costs vary by demographic and health characteristics. This article describes Medicare utilization and reimbursement amounts for 1974-81 for a cohort of disabled-worker beneficiaries under age 62 and first entitled to cash benefits in 1972. The data come from a first-time linkage of Disability Insurance program data with data on Medicare utilization. The tables provide a detailed look at several factors that are associated with variation in Medicare costs among beneficiaries and over time.
mesh_terms: D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004608:Eligibility Determination / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States