title: Rural-Urban Differences in Satisfaction with Medicare Part D: Implications for Policy.
abstract: Rural residents are more likely to be enrolled in traditional fee-for-service Part D Medicare prescription drug plans, and they face particular challenges in accessing pharmaceutical care. This study examines rural/urban differences in satisfaction with Medicare Part D coverage. Using data from the 2012 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (N = 3,107 beneficiaries aged 65 and older), we find that rural residents have significantly lower satisfaction with Part D coverage but that regional variation in satisfaction is largely explained by differences in health services use and type of Part D plan (stand-alone versus Medicare Advantage). We conclude by suggesting a multifaceted approach to improving satisfaction with Part D for rural residents.
authors.affiliation: a Research Associate , University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center , Minneapolis , Minnesota , USA.
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henning-Smith
authors.affiliation: b Research Fellow , University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center , Minneapolis , Minnesota , USA.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.affiliation: c Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Director , University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center , Minneapolis , Minnesota , USA.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.affiliation: d Professor and Director , University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center , Minneapolis , Minnesota , USA.
authors.forename: Ira
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Moscovice
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D054524:Medicare Part D / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000191:economics*; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs
keywords: Medicare; Part D; rural/urban; satisfaction