The impact of medicare coverage policies on health care utilization

Susan Bartlett Foote, Beth A. Virnig, Robert J. Town, Lacey Hartman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective. To determine whether Medicare coverage policies affect utilization of services in Medicare. Data Sources. We constructed an analysis data set for eight different procedures using secondary data obtained from Medicare claims (1999-2002) and Medicare coverage policies posted on Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services website. Study Design. We analyzed the impact of coverage policies using difference-in-difference approach in a regression framework. Principal Findings. We found that in only one case (transesophageal echocardiography) out of eight did utilization change (reduced by 13.6 percent) after the effective date of the local policies. There is no systematic pattern that policies affect utilization, and the type of coverage policy does not seem to play an important role in its impact. Conclusions. Coverage policies have the potential but do not consistently impact utilization as policy makers intend and expect them to do. These findings raise significant policy questions about the effectiveness of Medicare coverage policies, which deserve further study.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1285-1301
Number of pages17
JournalHealth services research
Volume43
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2008

Keywords

  • Local coverage decisions (LCDs)
  • Medicare coverage
  • Medicare services
  • Medicare utilization

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