Yuting Zhang

..SSRIs vary substantially in their costs, side effect profiles and convenience of use. All these factors might affect medication adherence and subsequently down-stream medical costs...

..Findings about variation in antibiotic prescribing can target policy efforts to focused areas; however, little is known about these patterns among older adults...

..If there is substantial variation across local areas within HRRs, then policies focusing on HRRs may be poorly targeted...

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..However, recent data on long-term adherence are limited, particularly among some subpopulations. We compared medication adherence among Medicare MI survivors by disability status, race/ethnicity, and income...

..This cost-offset argument is plausible both in theory and in practice, but rigorous research on specific drugs or drug categories is needed to make targeted and efficient policy and management decisions...

..To evaluate Medicare Part D's impact on use of antihypertensive medications among seniors with hypertension...

..To examine the impact of the Medicare drug benefit (Part D) on the distribution of out-of-pocket pharmacy spending among older adults...

..However, no studies have evaluated how antibiotic use changes with drug coverage. We evaluate changes in ambulatory oral antibiotic use after implementation of the Medicare drug benefit (Part D)...

..Coverage of generic drugs with a $0-$10 copayment in the doughnut hole could be financed by, at most, a six-to-nine-percentage-point increase in initial coinsurance...

..Little is known about how Medicare Part D affects the medication refill adherence for cardiovascular and diabetes medications, particularly among beneficiaries without prior drug coverage...

..It is critical to understand how beneficiaries with coexisting conditions respond to the coverage gap and whether their response differs by type of medications...

..The coverage gap in Medicare Part D could increase the likelihood of reducing appropriate use of antidepressants, thereby exposing older adults to an increased risk for relapse of depressive episodes...

..It is not known what effect the increased use of prescription drugs by enrollees in Medicare Part D has had on spending for other medical care...

..To determine factors associated with selecting a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) rather than a preferred provider plan (PPO) and to examine switching and market segmentation after initial selection...

..We examined the impact of improvements in drug coverage under Medicare Part D on utilization of, and adherence to, medications for heart failure in older adults...

..Medicare Part D has a drug coverage gap, which imposes risks for discontinuing medications, particularly in mental health disorders where drug costs are high. However, some beneficiaries have generic drug coverage in the gap...

..Some older adults may use free drug samples or industry-sponsored patient assistance programs (PAP) in hopes of lowering out-of-pocket costs, although the long-term effect of these programs on drug spending is unclear...

..Depression in older adults is often undertreated due, in part, to medication costs. We examined the impact of improved prescription drug coverage under Medicare Part D on use of antidepressants, medication choice, and adherence...

..Our findings suggest that beneficiaries need more targeted assistance from the government to help them choose plans, such as customized communications about the most cost-effective plans that would cover their medication needs...

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