Journal article
Pharmacy use by dual-eligible non-elderly veterans with private healthcare insurance
BMC Health Services Research, Vol.16(1), p.515
2016
DOI: 10.1186/s12913-016-1773-z
PMCID: PMC5035463
PMID: 27664059
Abstract
BackgroundUtilization of private sector healthcare services among dual enrolled veterans with private healthcare insurance plans (PHIP) has not been well-characterized. Concurrent use of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and non-VHA pharmacies may increase risk for adverse outcomes. Thus, the objectives of this study were to determine the extent to which dual VHA-PHIP enrollees obtain medications through VHA and non-VHA pharmacies and to characterize medications obtained through non-VHA pharmacies.MethodsThis observational study used merged administrative data from VHA and a predominant regional PHIP to select veterans < 65 years of age, residing in two Midwestern US states, and simultaneously enrolled in both VHA and the PHIP during fiscal years (FY) 2001–2010. Primary outcome measures included counts of prescriptions dispensed from VHA and non-VHA pharmacies, and frequencies of medications dispensed by non-VHA pharmacies based on PHIP claims.ResultsOf 5783 veterans who filled ≥ 1 prescription in FY10, 2935 (50.8 %) used non-VHA pharmacies exclusively, 1165 (20.2 %) used VHA pharmacies exclusively and 1683 (29.1 %) were dual users. Health services utilization was higher for dual users compared to exclusive users of either VHA or non-VHA pharmacies across multiple measures, including total prescriptions, outpatient encounters, and inpatient admissions. The most common medications dispensed by non-VHA pharmacies, by proportion of veterans treated, were hydrocodone (20.9 %), amoxicillin (18.5 %), simvastatin (17.5 %), azithromycin (17.4 %), and lisinopril (15.1 %). Antidepressants comprised 3 of 10 most common medications dispensed by VHA, but none of the most common medications dispensed to exclusive non-VHA pharmacy users.ConclusionsOur findings align with VHA-Medicare dual enrolled veterans where only a minority of veterans used VHA services exclusively. Younger veterans relied disproportionately on VHA for mental health medications.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Pharmacy use by dual-eligible non-elderly veterans with private healthcare insurance
- Creators
- Brian C LundMary E CharltonAlan N West
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- BMC Health Services Research, Vol.16(1), p.515
- DOI
- 10.1186/s12913-016-1773-z
- PMID
- 27664059
- PMCID
- PMC5035463
- NLM abbreviation
- BMC Health Serv Res
- ISSN
- 1472-6963
- eISSN
- 1472-6963
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000738, name: US Department of Veterans Affairs, award: IIR 11-319-2, CDA 10-017
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2016
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy; Epidemiology
- Record Identifier
- 9983995053602771
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