RIP: The Effects of Expert Recommendations on Health Insurance Choices: Evidence from a Randomized, Controlled Trial

Friday, June 2, 2017
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
(Pacific)

"The Effects of Expert Recommendations on Health Insurance Choices:  Evidence from a Randomized, Controlled Trial"

Please note: All research in progress seminars are off-the-record unless otherwise noted. Any information about methodology and/or results are embargoed until publication.

Medicare beneficiaries consistently report difficulty choosing a Medicare Part D plan, rarely change their plans and are often not enrolled in the plan providing the most generous coverage for their medications. In this project, we test whether providing personalized information on the financial implications of enrolling in different plans, both with and without expert recommendations, improves decision outcomes for Medicare Part D enrollees relative to directing them to the Medicare.gov website. We describe and report the results of a randomized, controlled trial of the effects of using a patient-centered Medicare Part D decision tool during 2017 open enrollment (October 15 through December 7, 2016) among patients who are members of a large multispecialty group practice.