Erectile Dysfunction Medication Use in Veterans Eligible for Medicare Part D

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Pharmaceutical Policy Analysis
• Veteran Health Administration

Background:

• Erectile dysfunction (ED) medications are effective treatments.
• Medicare Part D included ED medications on its formulary in 2006, and inadvertently in 2007-2008.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor (PDE-5) medication use among veterans dually eligible for Veterans Affairs (VA) and Medicare Part D benefits.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of PDE-5 inhibitor claims among veterans aged over 66 years from 2005 to 2009.
• Categorization of veterans into VA-only, Part D-only, or dual users.
• Statistical comparison using t-tests and chi-square tests.

Main Results:

• The majority of veterans (85.2%) used VA benefits exclusively for PDE-5 inhibitors.
• Medicare Part D implementation in 2006 led to a significant decrease in VA PDE-5 inhibitor prescriptions.
• Part D prescriptions increased during 2006-2007, with a notable proportion of dispensed tablets, before declining in 2008.

Conclusions:

• Medicare Part D's implementation reduced VA PDE-5 inhibitor acquisition.
• Following formulary changes, VA pharmacy use for PDE-5 inhibitors resumed.
• External medication policies and VA restrictions can influence medication access for veterans, particularly for lifestyle drugs.