title: Beneficiary survey-based feedback on new Medicare informational materials.
abstract: In response to the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) initiated a massive information and education campaign to promote effective health plan decision-making. Early results suggest that the pilot version of the Medicare & You handbook and other new Medicare informational materials were viewed favorably overall. Despite their limitations, most beneficiaries found the information useful. The longer, more comprehensive materials were not perceived to be more useful than the shorter, less complicated version. Additional research is needed to determine which subgroups of beneficiaries may need more and, possibly less, information.
authors.affiliation: University of Oregon, USA. lmac@rti.org
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Garfinkel
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hibbard
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Kilpatrick
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Kalsbeek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.; D003254:Consumer Advocacy; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D004493:Education; D004608:Eligibility Determination; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000592:standards*; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D013664:Teaching Materials / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States