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Can Medicare beneficiaries make informed choices?
J H Hibbard1, J J Jewett, S Engelmann
1Department of Planning, Public Policy, and Management, University of Oregon, Eugene, USA.
Health Affairs (Project Hope)
|January 23, 1999
Summary
Most Medicare beneficiaries lack understanding of managed care options. Even those enrolled in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) showed lower knowledge, highlighting a need for better beneficiary education on Medicare choices.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare policy
- Health services research
- Medicare program analysis
Background:
- Medicare beneficiaries have expanding healthcare choices.
- Understanding differences between managed care and fee-for-service is crucial.
- High managed care penetration in certain markets necessitates this assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess Medicare beneficiaries' comprehension of managed care versus fee-for-service options.
- To identify knowledge gaps among beneficiaries regarding Medicare plan differences.
- To inform educational strategies for beneficiaries.
Main Methods:
- Telephone survey conducted among 1,673 Medicare beneficiaries.
- Sample stratified equally between Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) enrollees and traditional Medicare beneficiaries.
- Participants resided in five Medicare markets with high managed care penetration.
Main Results:
- 30% of beneficiaries demonstrated minimal knowledge of HMOs.
- Only 11% possessed sufficient knowledge for informed decision-making.
- HMO enrollees exhibited significantly lower understanding of delivery system differences compared to fee-for-service beneficiaries.
Conclusions:
- A significant portion of Medicare beneficiaries lack adequate understanding of their healthcare options.
- Current knowledge levels impede informed choices, particularly for HMO enrollees.
- Enhanced educational initiatives are necessary to empower beneficiaries in navigating Medicare choices.