Medicare Treatment Differences for Blacks and Whites
- 1 December 1997
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in Medical Care
- Vol. 35 (12), 1173-1189
- https://doi.org/10.1097/00005650-199712000-00002
Abstract
This study investigated racial differences in procedure use among elderly Medicare beneficiaries. It is hypothesized that providers do not discriminate inappropriately in treating black and white patients and that the apparent differences in black-white treatment could be attributed to other differences between the two populations. Rates of use for selected procedures were examined among two patient groups: (1) the universe of Medicare beneficiaries in 10 states and the District of Columbia and (2) a subset of this sample created by matching beneficiaries on the basis of zip code of residence to neutralize the effects of black-white differences in provider access and regional practice patterns. Because all Medicare beneficiaries have a common core of standard benefits, the importance of financial access differences in accounting for black/white utilization differences is diminished. Three major findings were indicated from this study: (1) area-controlled comparisons find even larger black-white disparities than those shown from uncontrolled comparisons, (2) the disparities are larger in southern states, and (3) the disparities vary substantially with procedure cost. Although no clinical data were analyzed, providers appeared to be giving less intensive treatment to otherwise similar black Medicare beneficiaries.Keywords
This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- Socioeconomic disparities in preventive care persist despite universal coverage. Breast and cervical cancer screening in Ontario and the United StatesPublished by American Medical Association (AMA) ,1994
- Racial variation in cardiac procedure use and survival following acute myocardial infarction in the Department of Veterans AffairsPublished by American Medical Association (AMA) ,1994
- Continuing differences in the rates of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and coronary artery bypass graft surgery between elderly black and white Medicare beneficiariesAmerican Heart Journal, 1994
- Racial differences in the elderly's use of medical procedures and diagnostic tests.American Journal of Public Health, 1993
- Racial differences in the use of revascularization procedures after coronary angiographyPublished by American Medical Association (AMA) ,1993
- Coronary arteriography and coronary bypass survey among whites and other racial groups relative to hospital-based incidence rates for coronary artery disease: findings from NHDS.American Journal of Public Health, 1989
- Access to medical care for black and white Americans. A matter of continuing concernPublished by American Medical Association (AMA) ,1989
- The scope of diabetes in the United States population.American Journal of Public Health, 1987
- Variations in the Use of Medical and Surgical Services by the Medicare PopulationNew England Journal of Medicine, 1986
- Small Area Variations in Health Care DeliveryScience, 1973