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The impact of Medicare prescription drug coverage on the use of antidementia drugs
Nicole R. Fowler, Yi‐Fan Chen, Christiana A Thurton, Aiju Men, Eric Rodriguez, Julie Marie Donohue. BMC Geriatrics, 2013-04-27
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The No coverage group had a 38% increase in the odds ratio of any use of antidementia medications (P = 0.0008) post-Part D relative to the No cap group. All four coverage groups had significant increases in number of 30-day prescriptions (P < 0.001) over the study period. In adjusted models that included the sub-sample with any use pre-Part D, the No coverage group had a 36% increase in prescriptions (P = 0.002) and the $350 cap group had a 15% increase (P = 0.003) after adjusting for trends in the No cap group. Results from the sensitivity analysis for the sub-sample with a diagnosis of dementia pre-Part D show that each group had significant increases in 30-day prescriptions compared to the No cap control group (P < 0.05). Use of cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine in our sample increased and a greater increase in use was observed among Medicare beneficiaries who experienced improvements in drug coverage under Medicare Part D.
Key findings
- The No coverage group had a 38% increase in the odds ratio of any use of antidementia medications (P = 0.0008) post-Part D relative to the No cap group.
- All four coverage groups had significant increases in number of 30-day prescriptions (P < 0.001) over the study period.
- In adjusted models that included the sub-sample with any use pre-Part D, the No coverage group had a 36% increase in prescriptions (P = 0.002) and the $350 cap group had a 15% increase (P = 0.003) after adjusting for trends in the No cap group.
- Results from the sensitivity analysis for the sub-sample with a diagnosis of dementia pre-Part D show that each group had significant increases in 30-day prescriptions compared to the No cap control group (P < 0.05).
- Use of cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine in our sample increased and a greater increase in use was observed among Medicare beneficiaries who experienced improvements in drug coverage under Medicare Part D.
Why it matters
This study found that use of cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine increased after Medicare Part D, with greater increases among beneficiaries who gained better drug coverage. It is about medication access and use, not about whether these drugs cure or prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 37/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (BMC Geriatrics) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | BMC Geriatrics: journal h-index 153 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2013 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 17 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.1 citations a year over 15 year(s) since 2013 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Julie Marie Donohue: h-index 46 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Pittsburgh: institution h-index 1,470 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 23621892) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Fowler, N. R., Chen, Y., Thurton, C. A., Men, A., Rodriguez, E., & Donohue, J. M. (2013). The impact of Medicare prescription drug coverage on the use of antidementia drugs. BMC Geriatrics. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2318-13-37
Vancouver
Fowler NR, Chen Y, Thurton CA, Men A, Rodriguez E, Donohue JM. The impact of Medicare prescription drug coverage on the use of antidementia drugs. BMC Geriatrics. 2013. doi:10.1186/1471-2318-13-37. PMID: 23621892.
BibTeX
@article{fowler2013-23621892,
author = {Fowler, Nicole R. and Chen, Yi‐Fan and Thurton, Christiana A and Men, Aiju and Rodriguez, Eric and Donohue, Julie Marie},
title = {{The impact of Medicare prescription drug coverage on the use of antidementia drugs}},
journal = {BMC Geriatrics},
year = {2013},
doi = {10.1186/1471-2318-13-37},
pmid = {23621892},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2318-13-37}
}
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