MEDICARE AND INEQUALITIES IN HEALTH OUTCOMES: THE CASE OF BREAST CANCER |
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| Authors: | Sandra L Decker Carol Rapaport |
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| Institution: | International Longevity Center and Faculty Research Fellow, The National Bureau of Economic Research, 60 E. 86th St., Room 206, New York, NY 10028. E-mail;Domestic Research Function, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 33 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10045. E-mail |
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| Abstract: | This article evaluates whether expanding Medicare to cover those between ages 55 and 64 will improve the health status of these near-elderly individuals. We compare the experiences of near-elderly and elderly women with breast cancer and pay special attention to those demographic groups traditionally thought to be disadvantaged. Using unique individual-level data from the National Cancer Institute, we find that expanding Medicare does not improve the probability that a black woman will have her cancer diagnosed early. However, if she does happen to be diagnosed early, a discretE-time hazard model of survival finds that the price effects of insurance will improve her odds of survival. |
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