Dental care expenditures and retirement.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship of dental care coverage, retirement, and out-of-pocket (OOP) dental expenditures in an aging population, using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS).


METHODS
We estimate OOP dental expenditures among individuals who have dental utilization as a function of dental care coverage status, retirement, and individual and household characteristics. We also estimate a multivariate model controlling for potentially confounding variables.


RESULTS
Overall, mean OOP dental expenditures among those with any spending were substantially larger for those without coverage than for those with coverage. However, controlling for coverage shows that there is little difference in spending by retirement status.


CONCLUSIONS
Although having dental coverage is a key determinant of the level of OOP expenditures on dental care; spending is higher among those without coverage than those who have dental insurance. We also found that while retirement has no independent effect on OOP dental expenditures once controlling for coverage, dental coverage rates are much lower among retirees.
Manski
Richard J
RJ
Division of Health Services Research, Department of Health Promotion and Policy, Dental School, University of Maryland, 650 West Baltimore Street-Room 2209, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. rmanski@umaryland.edu
Moeller
John
J
Chen
Haiyan
H
St Clair
Patricia A
PA
Schimmel
Jody
J
Magder
Larry
L
Pepper
John V
JV
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003729:Dental Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics; D007347:Insurance, Dental / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000191:economics; D012179:Retirement / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States