Medicare: Comparison of Catastrophic Health Insurance Proposals.
Abstract
To determine the potential effect of the various legislative proposals on Medicare beneficiaries' out-of-pocket health care expenses, we (1) reviewed GAO and other reports to identify the types and amounts of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the elderly, (2) reviewed Medicare law and regulations to determine beneficiaries out-of-pocket liability for covered services, (3) reviewed minimum coverage requirements for Medigap policies to determine how they affect out-of-pocket costs, (4) analyzed 14 catastrophic health care costs the elderly incur, and (5) compared the financing mechanisms of those bills. These bills, if enacted, would represent an important step in increasing the health insurance coverage available to the elderly, but as discussed above, significant gaps will remain. Providing further relief to those elderly who incur high out-of -pocket health care costs would obviously increase Medicare payments. The bills that would offer more extensive catastrophic protection propose a variety of financing mechanisms to spread the costs of catastrophic illnesses over either all Medicare beneficiaries or all taxpayers, and are intended to be budget neutral.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA182733
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office