Does supplemental private insurance affect care of Medicare recipients hospitalized for myocardial infarction?
OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine whether supplemental private insurance coverage among Medicare recipients alters patterns of health care or outcomes associated with acute myocardial infarction.


METHODS
Medicare patients hospitalized after a myocardial infarction were identified from New York City hospitalization records. Patients who had only Medicare coverage were compared with those who had supplemental private or public insurance coverage.


RESULTS
Patients with supplemental private insurance exhibited increased rates of revascularization and decreased rates of in-hospital mortality relative to patients with either Medicare only or Medicare and public insurance. Moreover, Blacks and women were less likely to undergo revascularization and exhibited higher in-hospital mortality rates.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite Medicare, private insurance coverage appears to influence the likelihood of coronary revascularization among older patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction.
Fang
Jing
J
Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. fang@aecom.yu.edu
Alderman
Michael H
MH
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007348:Insurance, Health; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D009519:New York City; D044469:Racial Groups; D012307:Risk Factors