Address correspondence to Yaniv Hanoch, Ph.D., School of Psychology, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, U.K., PL4 8AA; e-mail: yaniv.hanoch@plymouth.ac.uk. Thomas Rice, Ph.D., is with the Department of Health Services, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA. Janet Cummings, B.A., is with the Department of Health Services, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA. Stacey Wood, Ph.D., is with the Department of Psychology, Scripps College.
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How Much Choice Is Too Much? The Case of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
Article first published online: 26 MAY 2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2009.00981.x
© Health Research and Educational Trust
Additional Information
How to Cite
Hanoch, Y., Rice, T., Cummings, J. and Wood, S. (2009), How Much Choice Is Too Much? The Case of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. Health Services Research, 44: 1157–1168. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2009.00981.x
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Address correspondence to Yaniv Hanoch, Ph.D., School of Psychology, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, U.K., PL4 8AA; e-mail: yaniv.hanoch@plymouth.ac.uk. Thomas Rice, Ph.D., is with the Department of Health Services, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA. Janet Cummings, B.A., is with the Department of Health Services, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA. Stacey Wood, Ph.D., is with the Department of Psychology, Scripps College.
Publication History
- Issue published online: 10 JUL 2009
- Article first published online: 26 MAY 2009
Keywords:
- Choice;
- prescription drugs;
- Medicare;
- elderly
Objective. To study the impact of the number of choices and age on measures of performance in choosing a Medicare prescription drug plan.
Data Source/Study Setting. One hundred ninty-two healthy individuals age 18 and older, half age 65 or older, in Claremont, California.
Study Design. Participants were randomly assigned to 3, 10, or 20 hypothetical drug plans and asked four factual questions. Statistical models controlled for experimental group, age, gender, race, education, income, marital status, and health status.
Primary Findings. Older age and greater number of plans were significantly associated with fewer correct answers. Although older adults were less likely to identify the plan that minimized total annual cost, they were more likely to state that they were “very confident” they chose the correct plan.
Conclusions. The results raise concerns about the difficulties that older adults may have in navigating the wide range of drug plan choices available.