Impact of Medicare SELECT on cost and utilization in 11 states

• Published in: Health care financing review Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 19 - 40
• Main Authors: Lee, A J, Garfinkel, S A, Khandker, R K, Norton, E C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Superintendent of Documents 1997; CENTERS for MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES
• Subjects: Aged; Beneficiaries; Community Networks - economics; Community Networks - organization & administration; Cost Control; Costs; Economic aspects; Enrollments; Expenditures; Female; Health Expenditures - trends; Health insurance; Health maintenance organizations; Health policy; Health Services Needs and Demand - statistics & numerical data; Health services utilization; HMOs; Humans; Innovations in Fee-for-Service Financing and Delivery; Insurance coverage; Insurance premiums; Insurance, Medigap - statistics & numerical data; Male; Managed Care Programs - economics; Managed Care Programs - statistics & numerical data; Medical care; Medical service; Medicare; Medicare Part B - statistics & numerical data; Medigap; OBRA 1990-US; Old age; Preferred provider organizations; States; Statistical analysis; Studies; United States; Utilization; Waivers; United States > US
• ISSN: 0195-8631; 1554-9887

In this article, the authors evaluate the cost and utilization effects of the SELECT implementations in 11 States. In particular they compare the before-and-after enrollment experiences of Medicare beneficiaries newly enrolled in SELECT plans with the experiences of those newly enrolled in traditional medigap plans. Using Medicare claims data for 1991 through 1994, the authors find that Medicare SELECT increased costs in five States, decreased costs in three States, and had no effect in three States. Cost increases were generally related to Part B utilization.