Recorded presentation

Alan Briones, MD, Primary Care Clinic, Trigg County Hospital, 252 Main St, Cadiz, KY 42211, 270 522 0898, a.briones@att.net and Ariel Lapena Sarmiento, BA, MPH(c), Department of Public Health, Western Kentucky University, One Big Red Way, Bowling Green, KY 42101.

Majority of Medicare beneficiaries lack sufficient knowledge of the services and variety of the program’s insurance options to make more informed choices. Objective: 1) to measure the Medicare knowledge of non-beneficiary Baby Boomers (ages 39-57) in rural Western Kentucky. Methodology: Factory workers, teachers, and patients of a rural clinic were invited to participate. Healthcare professionals were excluded. Participants answered a validated and reliable instrument called Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey Knowledge Questions (MCBS). The tool consists of: (1) Perceived Knowledge Index (PKI)- uses a 5-point Likert scale (“almost none” to “just about everything”), (2) Seven-Item Quiz (7IQ)- True/False/Don’t Know and (3) Global Perceived Knowledge Question (GPK)- uses a 5-point Likert scale. Results: There were 145 subjects (mean age 46.7), 65 males and 80 females, 126 Caucasians and 19 African-Americans. 7IQ scores demonstrated a mean percent correct answer of 29%, mean incorrect answer of 11% and mean “don’t know” answer of 60%. There were no statistically significant differences found across race, sex, and age involving PKI, 7IQ, and GPK scores. However, there was a significant difference between the PKI and GPK mean scores (1.8 and 1.5, respectively) (p < 0.001). Mean GPK was significantly lower than the mean PKI after taking the 7IQ. Seventy eight percent of the respondents reported saving for their retirement. Conclusion: Using MCBS, “Baby Boomers” appear to have low perceived knowledge and poor actual knowledge of the Medicare program. Implementation of educational campaigns targeting this age group may improve their comprehension for better Medicare utilization in the future.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

1.recognize that majority of the elderly have insufficient knowledge of the Medicare program,
• understand that “Baby Boomers” have low perceived knowledge and poor actual knowledge of the Medicare program,
• influence Health Care Educators and Medicare Policy Administrators to develop educational campaigns targeting this age group to improve their comprehension for better Medicare utilization in the future.

Keywords: Medicare, Health Insurance

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation