How much choice is too much? The case of the Medicare prescription drug benefit.
OBJECTIVE
To study the impact of the number of choices and age on measures of performance in choosing a Medicare prescription drug plan.


METHODS
One hundred ninty-two healthy individuals age 18 and older, half age 65 or older, in Claremont, California.


METHODS
Participants were randomly assigned to 3, 10, or 20 hypothetical drug plans and asked four factual questions. Statistical models controlled for experimental group, age, gender, race, education, income, marital status, and health status.


RESULTS
Older age and greater number of plans were significantly associated with fewer correct answers. Although older adults were less likely to identify the plan that minimized total annual cost, they were more likely to state that they were "very confident" they chose the correct plan.


CONCLUSIONS
The results raise concerns about the difficulties that older adults may have in navigating the wide range of drug plan choices available.
Hanoch
Yaniv
Y
School of Psychology, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK PL4 8AA. yaniv.hanoch@plymouth.ac.uk
Rice
Thomas
T
Cummings
Janet
J
Wood
Stacey
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011306:Prescription Fees / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011897:Random Allocation; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult