Prescription Drug Spending for Medicare+Choice Beneficiaries in the Last Year of Life

August 2006
Journal of Palliative Medicine , Vol. 9, No. 4
Cheryl Fahlman, Joanne Lynn, Danielle Doberman, Jon R. Gabel, Mike Finch

With this year’s implementation of the Medicare prescription drug plan, insights into medication costs at the end of life may help clinicians navigate Medicare Part D coverage for chronically ill individuals. This study examines the presription drug use of more than 4,600 beneficiaries in a large national managed care organization. It analyzes the relationship between prescription drug expenditures and sociodemographic descriptors, insurance characteristics and cause of death.

This article is available at the Journal of Palliative Medicine Web site by clicking here. (Subscription required).