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. 2008 Dec;98(5):2242-2258.
doi: 10.1257/aer.98.5.2242.

The Impact of Nearly Universal Insurance Coverage on Health Care Utilization: Evidence from Medicare

David Card  1 , Carlos Dobkin, Nicole Maestas
Affiliations

The Impact of Nearly Universal Insurance Coverage on Health Care Utilization: Evidence from Medicare

David Card et al. Am Econ Rev. 2008 Dec.

Abstract

The onset of Medicare eligibility at age 65 leads to sharp changes in the health insurance coverage of the U.S. population. These changes lead to increases in the use of medical services, with a pattern of gains across socioeconomic groups that varies by type of service. While routine doctor visits increase more for groups that previously lacked insurance, hospital admissions for relatively expensive procedures like bypass surgery and joint replacement increase more for previously insured groups that are more likely to have supplementary coverage after 65, reflecting the relative generosity of their combined insurance package under Medicare.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Coverage by Any Insurance and by Two or More Policies, By Age and Demographic Group
Figure 2
Figure 2
Employment Rates by Age and Demographic Group (1992−2003 NHIS)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Hospital Admission Rates by Race/Ethnicity
Figure 4
Figure 4
Hospital Admission in California by Ownership Type (1992−2002)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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