Dental Coverage Transistions, Utilization and Retirement

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-range goal for this research team is to build a foundation of information to enable the formulation of recommendations for changes in governmental policies, such as an extension of Medicare, the inclusion of adult dental coverage in Medicaid and coverage options within the private sector. This project builds upon several studies previously conducted by this research team. We will test the hypothesis and conduct this study using longitudinal secondary data available from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We will estimate the level of use for dental services among non-instutionalized Americans aged 51 and above and determine the degree to which that use is influenced by the presence or absence of dental care coverage. Specific Aims: 1. Estimate the number and characteristics of persons age 51 and above who stay covered after retirement, stay uninsured after retirement, lose coverage after retirement, or gain coverage after retirement. The working hypothesis for this specific aim is that persons are less likely to have dental care coverage after retirement. 2. Estimate dental care use as a function of dental care coverage status and transitions controlling for individual and household characteristics and adverse selection. The working hypothesis for this specific aim is that persons are less likely to have a dental visit without dental care coverage. 3. Estimate dental care out-of-pocket expenditures as a function of dental care coverage status and transitions controlling for individual and household characteristics and adverse selection. The working hypothesis for this specific aim is that persons with a dental visit will have higher out-of-pocket expenditures without dental care coverage.This proposed project is innovative in its use of longitudinal secondary data available from the HRS to specifically study transitions in dental care coverage, dental use and retirement. Results obtained from this project will establish the independent effect of dental coverage on dental use and as a consequence provide important and timely information for policy makers.