Costs to Expand Healthcare Coverage Might Be Offset Partially by Savings

As U.S. legislators consider expanding health insurance coverage to people younger than 65, investigators assessed some possible cost consequences. In an analysis that used data from a longitudinal nationally representative survey and Medicare claims files, Medicare spending was calculated for older adults (age, ≥65) who had been either continuously insured or at least intermittently uninsured when they were 51 to 61 years old.

Mean annual per-person Medicare spending was significantly higher for previously uninsured people than it was for the previously insured people (US$5796 vs. $4773). The difference was similar and significant for the subgroup of people with cardiovascular disease or diabetes by age 67 but was smaller and not significan…