Effects of Medicare coverage for the chronically ill on health insurance, utilization, and mortality: Evidence from coverage expansions affecting people with end-stage renal disease.
I study the effect of the 1973 expansions of Medicare coverage among individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on insurance coverage, health care utilization, and mortality. I find that the expansions increased insurance coverage by between 22 and 30 percentage points, in models that include trends in age, with the increase explained by Medicare coverage, and increased physician visits by 25-35 percent. These expansions also decreased mortality due to kidney disease in the under 65 population by between 0.5 and 1.0 deaths per 100,000. Lastly, I provide evidence for two mechanisms that affected mortality: an increase in access to and use of treatment, which may be due to changes in insurance coverage; and an increase in entry of dialysis clinics and transplant programs.
['Andersen|Martin S|MS|']
D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D002908:Chronic Disease D005260:Female D006297:Health Services Accessibility D006801:Humans D019458:Insurance Coverage D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic D008297:Male D006278:Medicare D008875:Middle Aged D009026:Mortality D014481:United States
Health Health insurance Insurance Mortality Kidney disease H51 I13 I18