Part D plan switching among medicare beneficiaries with schizophrenia

Abstract

Objective: Most Medicare schizophrenia patients were randomly assigned in 2006 to one of 409 benchmark plans. This study examined plan switching and factors affecting switching among beneficiaries with schizophrenia. Methods: The data were 2006 Medicare pharmacy data for three groups of schizophrenia patients: those with Medicaid coverage ("dual eligibles"; N593,705), Medicare beneficiaries with a low-income subsidy (N556,148), and Medicare beneficiaries without the subsidy (N536,107). Switching frequency and how patient and plan characteristics affected switching were examined. Results: Beneficiarieswho switched their PartDplan at least once included 10.7% of the dual eligibles, 9.8% of tho..