Table 1 Characteristics of Survey Respondents and Non-Respondents
From: “Implications of cost-sharing for observation care among Medicare beneficiaries: a pilot survey”
Not completed (n = 306) | Completed (n = 144) | p-value | |
n(%) | n(%) | ||
Age | |||
65 years old or younger | 49 (16.0) | 38 (26.4) | 0.008 |
66–75 | 89 (29.1) | 47 (32.6) | |
76 or older | 168 (54.9) | 59 (40.9) | |
Sex | |||
Female | 176 (57.5) | 93 (64.6) | 0.154 |
Race | |||
Caucasian | 202 (66.0) | 193 (64.6) | 0.955 |
African American | 86 (28.1) | 42 (29.2) | |
Other | 18 (5.9) | 9 (6.3) | |
Ethnicity | 0.207 | ||
Hispanic | 9 (3.0) | 1 (0.7) | |
Level of Education | |||
Less than high school | – | 14 (9.7) | |
High school/GED | – | 53 (36.8) | |
Some College/Trade school | – | 20 (13.9) | |
2 year College/Associates Degree | – | 15 (10.4) | |
4 year college | – | 21 (14.6) | |
Master’s Degree | – | 10 (6.9) | |
Doctorate | – | 3 (2.1) | |
Refused | – | 8 (5.6) | |
Supplemental Insurance (n = 143) | – | ||
Commercial | – | 109 (76.2) | |
Medicaid | – | 10 (9.2) | |
None | 24 (16.8) | ||
Annual Income (n = 144) | |||
Below $31,000a | – | 66 (45.8) | |
Greater than or equal to $31,000 | – | 55 (38.2) | |
Refused | 23 (16) | ||
Cost-Sharing Questions | True n(%) | False n(%) | Refused |
“As an observation patient you may need to pay more for tests than an inpatient” | 43 (29.9)b | 48 (33.3) | 53 (36.8) |
“As an observation patient Medicare will pay for a nursing home if you need it” | 73 (50.7) | 24 (16.7)b | 47 (32.6) |