Impact of Dual Elgibility on Healthcare Use by Medicare Beneficiaries

Abstract

This research examines the impact of Medicaid-Medicare dual eligibility on the pattern of health care service utilization by ethnic minorities. The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 1996-2000 reveals that, as a whole, dual eligibility was strongly associated with high rate of home health provider days. The utilization of total dental visits was adversely correlated with dual eligibility. The impact of dual eligibility on the health care utilization was differentiated across ethnicity groups. With additional Medicaid coverage, Afro-Americans Medicare beneficiaries significantly increased the utilization of office-based physician visits, outpatient physician visits, and dental visits. Dual eligible Asians substantially increase their home health provider days and dental visits. Due to the additional coverage from Medicaid, Hispanics dramatically increase the utilization of outpatient physician visits.