Use of antihypertensive drugs by Medicare enrollees: Does type of drug coverage matter?

Research has demonstrated that Medicare beneficiaries with drug coverage co nsume more clinically essential drugs. However, generosity of coverage vari es considerably across beneficiaries. This study examines the association b etween types of drug coverage and the consumption and cost per tablet of es sential antihypertensive medications among beneficiaries with hypertension. The findings indicate that while both state- and employer-sponsored drug c overage are associated with greater consumption of antihypertensive drugs a nd lower out-of-pocket costs per tablet, private supplemental coverage is n ot associated with greater use and is associated with only slightly lower o ut-of-pocket costs than among noncovered beneficiaries.