Amelia M. Haviland, PhD

Including a telephone component in Medicare Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey administration continues to be valuable because telephone responses comprise a substantial portion of responses for several underserved groups.

Medicare Advantage customer service supports a less healthy, higher-need population, indicating that it should be designed and staffed to effectively serve complex, high-need patients.

Efforts are needed to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries with poor mental health receive regular routine care, which may be facilitated by having a personal doctor.

Only low-income male Medicare beneficiaries had worse patient experience than their female counterparts. The authors discuss opportunities to improve experiences for all patients.

Patient ratings of plans and care were lower among beneficiaries filing complaints or reporting denied care. Appeals did not further predict ratings, but successful complaint resolution did.

Financial incentives created under the Affordable Care Act can help promote employer wellness programs and support preventive services utilization.

Enrollment in high-deductible health plans is associated with reduced spending on healthcare and with moderate reductions in the use of preventive care.