Medicare Policy and Aging in the US and Canada

How does becoming eligible for Medicare affect utilization and health outcomes? Researchers at the International Longevity Center estimated the effect of gaining Medicare coverage on health care utilization and outcomes. They suggested that examining the impact of this change in coverage for the near elderly (55-64) will shed light on the relationship between insurance coverage and use of services in health status more generally. The researchers included in their sample people who were insured and uninsured before becoming eligible for Medicare. This study provides policymakers with information about the effects of coverage, generally, and about expanding coverage to the near-elderly, specifically.