Healthcare Use and Expenditures Among Rural and Urban Medicare Beneficiaries Aged 85 and Over

Individuals age 85 and older are expanding faster than any other age group and have substantially higher per capita personal healthcare spending and out-of-pocket costs (e.g. deductibles and co-insurance) compared with younger Medicare beneficiaries. In light of previous research indicating that rural older adults ages 85+ are highly susceptible to the high out-of-pocket costs and healthcare expenditures associated with nursing homes and other institutional services, this study examined rural-urban differences in the use and cost of care among Medicare beneficiaries age 85 and older.

Publications

• Patterns of Health Care Use Among Rural-Urban Medicare Beneficiaries Age 85 and Older, 2010-2017
  Policy Brief
  Maine Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 11/2022
  This study examines rural-urban differences in health care use among Medicare beneficiaries age 85+.