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Does Medicare Part D save lives?

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Abstract

This paper studies the impact of Medicare Part D on mortality for the population over the age of 65. We identify the effects of the reform using variation in drug coverage across counties before the reform was implemented. Studying mortality rates immediately before and after the reform, we find that cardiovascular-related mortality drops significantly in those counties most affected by Part D, while mortality rates for noncardiovascular diseases remain statistically unchanged. Estimates suggest that between 19,000 and 27,000 more individuals were alive in mid-2007 because of the Part D implementation in 2006.

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  • Abe Dunn & Adam Hale Shapiro, 2015. "Does Medicare Part D save lives?," Working Paper Series 2015-4, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedfwp:2015-04
    DOI: 10.24148/wp2015-04
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    1. Powell, David & Pacula, Rosalie Liccardo & Taylor, Erin, 2020. "How increasing medical access to opioids contributes to the opioid epidemic: Evidence from Medicare Part D," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    2. Américo, Pedro & Rocha, Rudi, 2020. "Subsidizing access to prescription drugs and health outcomes: The case of diabetes," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    3. Black, Bernard & Hollingsworth, Alex & Nunes, Letícia & Simon, Kosali, 2022. "Simulated power analyses for observational studies: An application to the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    4. Borgschulte, Mark & Vogler, Jacob, 2020. "Did the ACA Medicaid expansion save lives?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    5. Rebecca M. Myerson & Reginald D. Tucker‐Seeley & Dana P. Goldman & Darius N. Lakdawalla, 2020. "Does Medicare Coverage Improve Cancer Detection and Mortality Outcomes?," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(3), pages 577-604, June.
    6. Aparna Soni, 2024. "Estimating price elasticities of demand for pain relief drugs: evidence from Medicare Part D," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 24(4), pages 481-515, December.
    7. Pak, Tae-Young & Kim, GwanSeon, 2017. "The impact of Medicare Part D on cognitive functioning at older ages," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 118-126.
    8. Hall Anne E., 2016. "Estimating Regression-Based Medical Care Expenditure Indexes for Medicare Advantage Enrollees," Forum for Health Economics & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 19(2), pages 261-297, December.
    9. Shen, Yichen & Noguchi, Haruko, 2021. "Impacts of anticancer drug parity laws on mortality rates," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • I13 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Insurance, Public and Private

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