Medicare Beneficiaries: A Population at Risk
Findings from the Kaiser/Commonwealth Fund 1997 Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries
Tables for Medicare Beneficiaries: A Population at Risk
Part 2
Cathy Schoen, Patricia Neuman, Michelle Kitchman,
Karen Davis, and Diane Rowland
List of Tables
Table 5 Health Care Satisfaction, Access Difficulties, Preventive Care, and Financial Burdens, by Poverty Status, Age Group, Functional Status, and Health Status
Table 6 Health Care Satisfaction, Access Difficulties, Preventive Care, and Financial Burdens, by Supplemental Insurance Type
Table 7 Health Care Satisfaction, Access Difficulties, Preventive Care, and Financial Burdens, by Income Level and Health Status
Table 8 Health Care Satisfaction, Access Difficulties, Preventive Care, and Financial Burdens, by Gender
Table 5
Health Care Satisfaction, Access Difficulties, Preventive Care, and Financial
Burdens,
by Poverty Group, Age Group, Functional Status, and Health Status |
| |
Total
Sample
n=3305 |
Poverty |
Age |
ADL |
Health Status |
£
100%
n=689 |
101% 200%
n=1081 |
>200%
n=1497 |
<65
Disabled
n=282 |
65 84
n=2723 |
85+
n=300 |
1 or more
n=326 |
Fair/Poor
n=1203 |
Excellent/
Good
n=2066 |
|
TOTAL SAMPLE |
100% |
26% |
29% |
43% |
11% |
76% |
14% |
13% |
38% |
62% |
| |
|
Satisfaction |
|
"Very satisfied" with Medicare program |
57% |
57% |
54% |
58% |
46% |
57% |
65% |
58% |
54% |
58% |
|
Rate health care services as "excellent" |
54% |
47% |
54% |
58% |
47% |
56% |
49% |
45% |
49% |
57% |
|
Rate doctor care as "excellent" |
59% |
51% |
59% |
64% |
61% |
60% |
53% |
52% |
56% |
61% |
| |
|
Access Problem |
|
Difficulty getting needed care1 |
15% |
23% |
17% |
10% |
33% |
14% |
11% |
21% |
23% |
11% |
|
Problem getting services2 |
13% |
19% |
14% |
8% |
25% |
11% |
15% |
26% |
21% |
8% |
|
Access to preventive care |
|
Flu shot |
64% |
55% |
64% |
70% |
44% |
67% |
64% |
64% |
69% |
61% |
|
Mammogram (women only) |
51% |
47% |
47% |
56% |
46% |
56% |
29% |
37% |
49% |
51% |
|
Prostate exam (men only) |
59% |
40% |
53% |
69% |
29% |
67% |
45% |
41% |
52% |
63% |
| |
|
Financial Burden |
|
"Very difficult" paying for medical bills |
9% |
16% |
11% |
3% |
20% |
8% |
8% |
24% |
16% |
5% |
|
Spent all of savings due to medical bills |
9% |
21% |
9% |
3% |
22% |
8% |
5% |
22% |
17% |
4% |
|
Spent more than $100/month on Rx drugs |
11% |
11% |
14% |
10% |
18% |
10% |
11% |
18% |
18% |
7% |
|
Bill problems (very difficult or spent all savings) |
14% |
27% |
15% |
4% |
30% |
12% |
10% |
30% |
24% |
7% |
| |
|
Composite Financial and Access |
|
Difficulty getting care or bill problem |
24% |
41% |
27% |
13% |
47% |
22% |
18% |
40% |
39% |
15% |
|
Source: Kaiser/Commonwealth 1997 Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries.
1 Difficulty getting needed care refers to beneficiaries who either needed medical care but didn't get it, put off or postponed seeking care, were unable to see a specialist when needed, or found it extremely, very, or somewhat difficult to get care.
2 Problem getting health care services refers to beneficiaries who rated fair/poor their ability to get home health care, mental health services, or care from specialists. |
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Table 6
Health Care Satisfaction, Access Difficulties, Preventive Care, and Financial Burdens, by Supplemental Insurance Type
|
| |
Total
Sample
n=3305 |
HMO
Total
n=1579 |
Fee-for-Service Medicare Beneficiaries |
FFS
Total
n=1726 |
Medicare+
retiree
n=613 |
Medicare+
Medigap
n=518 |
Medicare+
Medicaid
n=192 |
Medicare+
only
n=358 |
|
TOTAL SAMPLE |
100% |
12% |
88% |
28% |
24% |
15% |
18% |
| |
| Satisfaction |
|
"Very satisfied" with Medicare program |
57% |
54% |
56% |
61% |
57% |
59% |
51% |
|
Rate health care services as "excellent" |
54% |
55% |
54% |
56% |
57% |
52% |
48% |
|
Rate doctor care as "excellent" |
59% |
61% |
59% |
60% |
65% |
54% |
55% |
| |
|
Access Problem |
|
Difficulty getting needed care1 |
15% |
19% |
15% |
10% |
10% |
27% |
20% |
|
Problem getting services2 |
13% |
13% |
13% |
10% |
10% |
23% |
13% |
|
Access to preventive care |
|
Flu shot |
64% |
70% |
63% |
68% |
70% |
54% |
54% |
|
Mammogram (women only) |
51% |
68% |
48% |
55% |
51% |
45% |
40% |
|
Prostate exam (men only) |
59% |
64% |
58% |
67% |
66% |
39% |
48% |
| |
|
Financial Burden |
|
"Very difficult" paying for medical bills |
9% |
9% |
9% |
3% |
7% |
16% |
15% |
|
Spent all of savings due to medical bills |
9% |
8% |
9% |
3% |
7% |
22% |
11% |
|
Spent more than $100/month on Rx drugs |
11% |
4% |
12% |
7% |
19% |
9% |
13% |
|
Bill problems (very difficult or spent all savings) |
13% |
13% |
14% |
5% |
11% |
27% |
19% |
| |
|
Composite Financial and Access |
|
Difficulty getting care or bill problem |
24% |
25% |
24% |
13% |
18% |
45% |
30% |
| |
|
Rating of Insurance Plan: % fair or poor |
|
Premiums/cost sharing |
14% |
7% |
15% |
15% |
13% |
12% |
19% |
|
Range of benefits covered |
14% |
6% |
15% |
14% |
15% |
15% |
16% |
|
Paper work |
11% |
4% |
12% |
13% |
11% |
12% |
15% |
|
Source: Kaiser/Commonwealth 1997 Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries.
1 Difficulty getting needed care refers to beneficiaries who either needed medical care but didn't get it, put off or postponed seeking care, were unable to see a specialist when needed, or found it extremely, very, or somewhat difficult to get care.
2 Problem getting health care services refers to beneficiaries who rated fair/poor their ability to get home health care, mental health services, or care from specialists. |
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Table 7
Health Care Satisfaction, Access Difficulties, Preventive Care, and Financial Burdens, by Income Level and Health Status
|
| |
Total
Sample
n=3305 |
Health Problems* |
Excellent or Good Health |
𧶀%
poverty
n=868 |
<200%
poverty
n=426 |
𧶀%
poverty
n=887 |
<200%
poverty
n=1062 |
|
TOTAL SAMPLE |
100% |
30% |
12% |
26% |
32% |
| |
| Satisfaction |
|
"Very satisfied" with Medicare program |
57% |
52% |
55% |
59% |
59% |
|
Rate health care services as "excellent" |
54% |
47% |
52% |
56% |
61% |
|
Rate doctor care as "excellent" |
59% |
55% |
58% |
56% |
66% |
| |
|
Access Problem |
|
Difficulty getting needed care1 |
15% |
26% |
16% |
12% |
8% |
|
Problem getting services2 |
13% |
23% |
16% |
9% |
5% |
|
Access to preventive care |
|
Flu shot |
64% |
62% |
73% |
57% |
68% |
|
Mammogram (women only) |
51% |
48% |
51% |
46% |
58% |
|
Prostate exam (men only) |
59% |
42% |
62% |
56% |
73% |
| |
|
Financial Burden |
|
"Very difficult" paying for medical bills |
9% |
19% |
8% |
8% |
1% |
|
Spent all of savings due to medical bills |
9% |
22% |
7% |
6% |
1% |
|
Spent more than $100/month on Rx drugs |
11% |
16% |
21% |
9% |
5% |
|
Bill problems (very difficult or spent all savings) |
14% |
30% |
11% |
11% |
2% |
| |
|
Composite Financial and Access |
|
Difficulty getting care or bill problem |
24% |
45% |
23% |
20% |
9% |
|
Source: Kaiser/Commonwealth 1997 Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries.
*Health problems include those rating their health as fair or poor and disabled, under-age-65 beneficiaries.
1 Difficulty getting needed care refers to beneficiaries who either needed medical care but didn't get it, put off or postponed seeking care, were unable to see a specialist when needed, or found it extremely, very, or somewhat difficult to get care.
2 Problem getting health care services refers to beneficiaries who rated fair/poor their ability to get home health care, mental health services, or care from specialists. |
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Table 8
Health Care Satisfaction, Access Difficulties, Preventive Care and Financial Burdens, by Gender
|
| |
Total
Sample
n=3305 |
Gender |
Male
n=1464 |
Female
n=1841 |
| TOTAL SAMPLE |
100% |
43% |
57% |
| |
| Satisfaction |
|
"Very satisfied" with Medicare program |
57% |
54% |
58% |
|
Rate health care services as "excellent" |
54% |
53% |
55% |
|
Rate doctor care as "excellent" |
59% |
58% |
60% |
| |
|
Access Problem |
|
Difficulty getting needed care1 |
15% |
14% |
16% |
|
Problem getting services2 |
13% |
15% |
11% |
|
Access to preventive care |
|
Flu shot |
64% |
64% |
64% |
|
Mammogram (women only) |
51% |
|
51% |
|
Prostate exam (men only) |
59% |
59% |
|
| |
|
Financial Burden |
|
"Very difficult" paying for medical bills |
9% |
8% |
9% |
|
Spent all of savings due to medical bills |
9% |
8% |
10% |
|
Spent more than $100/month on Rx drugs |
11% |
11% |
12% |
|
Bill problems (very difficult or spent all savings) |
14% |
12% |
15% |
| |
|
Composite Financial and Access |
|
Difficulty getting care or bill problem |
24% |
21% |
26% |
|
Source: Kaiser/Commonwealth 1997 Survey of Medicare Beneficiaries.
1 Difficulty getting needed care refers to beneficiaries who either needed medical care but didn't get it, put off or postponed seeking care, were unable to see a specialist when needed, or found it extremely, very, or somewhat difficult to get care.
2 Problem getting health care services refers to beneficiaries who rated fair/poor their ability to get home health care, mental health services, or care from specialists. |
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Part 1
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Appendix B: Charts Part 1 |
Appendix B: Charts Part 2Appendix C: Tables Part 1 | Appendix C: Tables Part 2
Medicare Beneficiaries: A Population at Risk
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