Private health insurance of the Medicare population and the Baucus legislation

Abstract

The appropriateness of the benefits associated with the private insurance coverage of the Medicare population has been the subject of considerable concern. Section 507 of the Social Security Amendments of 1980, also known as the Baucus legislation, reflects public concerns about the level of benefits in relation to premiums, duplicative coverage, the complexity and difficulty of insurance terminology, and marketing abuses. Data from the National Medical Care Expenditure Survey can provide useful baseline data on the distribution of Baucus-like plans. In 1977, private insurance held by the Medicare population was more likely to cover inpatient than outpatient services and to emphasize "first dollar" benefits for long-term care. Multivariate analyses show that the distribution of Baucus-like insurance policies is highly associated with health status, source of insurance, region, and place of residence. The importance of state regulations, suggested in other research, may account for these patterns.