Effect of Prescription Drug Benefits on Cardiovascular Outcomes in the Elderly

2006年，美国实施了《医疗保险现代化法案》，该法案扩大了医疗保险受益人的处方药覆盖范围，预计未来十年的成本将达到7680亿美元。改善获得药物福利的机会可能会通过为老年人提供有效治疗的经济途径来改善老年人的心血管结果。然而，关于处方药覆盖范围对健康结果的影响的研究有限。此外，尽管黑人参与者被发现使用抗高血压、降脂和抗血小板药物的比例明显较低，但人们对处方药覆盖范围作为种族和社会经济差异在心血管结果中的中介作用知之甚少。 在这个项目中，我们将调查处方药福利对心血管疾病联邦医疗保险管理保健参与者使用适当的二级预防药物和取得良好临床结果的影响。该项目还将评估处方药覆盖面在解释心血管结果中种族和社会经济差异方面的作用。

In 2006, the United States implemented the Medicare Modernization Act, which expanded prescription drug coverage for Medicare beneficiaries at an estimated cost of $768 billion dollars over the next decade. Improved access to drug benefits may improve cardiovascular outcomes for the elderly by providing financial access to effective therapy. However, there is limited research about the impact of prescription drug coverage on health outcomes. In addition, although black enrollees have been found to have markedly lower use of antihypertensive, lipid-lowering and anti-platelet medications, little is known about the role of prescription drug coverage as a mediator of racial and socioeconomic disparities in cardiovascular outcomes. In this project, we will investigate the effect of prescription drug benefits on the use of appropriate secondary preventive medication and achievement of favorable clinical outcomes among Medicare managed care enrollees with cardiovascular disease. The project will also assess the role of prescription drug coverage in explaining racial and socioeconomic disparities in cardiovascular outcomes.