title: Assessing the impact of coverage gaps in the Medicare Part D drug benefit.
abstract: (1) Medicare beneficiaries reduced their drug spending in response to interruptions in prescription coverage prior to the implementation of the Part D benefit. (2) Interruptions in drug coverage were amplified, as a response to gaps in prescription drug coverage, for those suffering from chronic conditions. (3) Trends in spending and medication utilization by Medicare beneficiaries in this study illustrate how Part D beneficiaries potentially would decrease their medication utilization as a response to increasing gaps in their prescription coverage.
authors.affiliation: Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hudson
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D004363:Drug Utilization; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D007356:Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services / Q000191:economics*; D054524:Medicare Part D / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014481:United States