Display Full Text | Download Full Text
2.22 MB PDF file

Degree

Master of Health and Human Services, Youngstown State University, Department of Health Professions, 1999.

Abstract

Traditional federal Medicare, which provides health insurance coverage for approximately 13% of the national population, spent $213 billion in 1997. Due to medical advances, escalating healthcare costs and the rising senior population, the existing Medicare program is predicted to be bankrupt by the year 2001. In an attempt to prevent this, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services enacted legislation to allow commercial insurance plans to offer a managed care Medicare option. Because of low out-of-pocket costs and the extensive use of prevention programs associated with managed care Medicare, senior citizens are rapidly converting to these plans. It is important, then, to examine the quality of healthcare offered by both managed care Medicare and the traditional Medicare plan. This observational study used a descriptive correlation research design composed of a convenience sampling of Allegheny County, PA senior citizens attending community based, congregate senior centers. An adaptation of the Consumer Assessment of Health Plan Survey was used to determine perceptions of quality of care and sociodemographic variables. Using a proportional odds model, it was revealed in the data that the overall quality rating for type of insurance plan was predicted by the rating of physicians' skills, the perception that the plan provided the services needed, the amount of time the physician spent with the subject and educational level.

Subject Headings

Health Sciences, General

Keywords

Medicare

Advisor

Carolyn K. Mikanowicz

Pages

vi, 83p.

Document number: ysu998075386
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ysu998075386

This ETD has been downloaded 240 times (through March 2013)