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Objectives: To describe medications that older hospice beneficiaries receive through Medicare Part D and assess patterns in Part D use for individuals admitted to hospice for cancer and noncancer causes. Design: Descriptive cohort analysis using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)‐Medicare linked database. Setting: U.S. hospice programs Participants: Part D‐enrolled Medicare beneficiaries aged 66 and older who were admitted to hospice and died while under hospice care between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2013 (N = 88,957). Measurements: We determined the 25 most commonly dispensed medications and the prevalence of at least 1 dispensing through Part D after hospice admission. The prevalence and temporal trends in receipt of opioid analgesics and several preventative medication classes are described. Results: More than half of individuals admitted to hospice for cancer (53.5%) and noncancer causes (52.9%) received at least 1 medication through Part D after hospice admission. The prevalence of receiving at least 1 Part D medication after admission was greatest in individuals admitted for debility or failure to thrive (63.5%) and dementia (61.5%) and lowest in those admitted for ischemic stroke (35.4%) and renal disease (36.0%). Beta‐blockers, angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors, proton pump inhibitors, and statins were among the most common preventative drug classes received overall, although prevalence differed according to admission diagnosis. Nearly 1 in 6 individuals received opioids through Part D after admission, with prevalence steadily decreasing over the study period. Conclusion: Receipt of medications through Medicare Part D after hospice admission is common, particularly for preventative medications, and varies according to admission diagnosis. Further research aimed at better understanding individual‐, provider‐, and healthcare system–level contributors to nonpalliative medication use in the hospice population is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To quantify the impact of Medicare Part D eligibility on medication utilization, emergency department use, hospitalization, and preference-based health utility among civilian non institutionalized Medicare beneficiaries. Study Design. Difference-in-differences analyses were used to estimate the effects of Part D eligibility on health outcomes by comparing a 12-month period before and after Part D implementation using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and health status and compared Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older with near elderly aged 55-63 years old. Principal Findings. Five hundred and fifty-six elderly and 549 near elderly were included. After adjustment, PartDwas associated with a U.S.$179.86 (p5.034) reduction in out-of-pocket costs and an increase of 2.05 prescriptions (p5.081) per patient year. The associations between Part D and emergency department use, hospitalizations, and preference- based health utility did not suggest cost offsets and were not statistically significant. Conclusions. Although there was a substantial reduction in out-of-pocket costs and a moderate increase in medication utilization among Medicare beneficiaries during the first year after Part D, there was no evidence of improvement in emergency department use, hospitalizations, or preference-based health utility for those eligible for Part D during its first year of implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]