title: Variations in Medicare access and satisfaction by health status: 1991-93.
abstract: This article examines Medicare access, use, and satisfaction before and after implementation of the Medicare Fee Schedule (MFS), based on 3 years of data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS). Descriptive and multivariate analysis revealed that access has not deteriorated from 1991 to 1993; Medicare beneficiaries are reporting increased satisfaction--especially with the costs of care as well as reporting fewer barriers to care. Moreover, the gaps in levels of satisfaction and frequency of perceived barriers have narrowed among those in better and poorer health, suggesting that the program has become more equitable over time.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Economics Research, Waltham, MA 02154, USA.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rosenbach
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Acamache
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Khandker
mesh_terms: D003710:Demography; D005245:Fee Schedules; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006304:Health Status; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States