Table 2.
Characteristics of Medicare Beneficiaries with Rheumatoid Arthritis from 2002 to 2006
| Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristics | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| N (unweighted) | 29,033 | 30,829 | 31,884 | 32,699 | 32,294 |
| Age (years) | |||||
| ≤ 64(%) | 17.0 | 17.6 | 18.6* | 19.5* | 19.3* |
| 65–74 (%) | 38.0 | 37.7 | 38.0* | 37.7* | 37.4* |
| 75– 84 (%) | 35.4 | 34.7 | 33.6* | 33.2* | 33.0* |
| ≥ 85 (%) | 9.6 | 9.9 | 9.8* | 9.6* | 10.3* |
| Male (%) | 26.3 | 26.4 | 26.3 | 26.2 | 25.9 |
| Race | |||||
| White (%) | 84.7 | 84.2* | 83.8 | 83.3* | 83.7 |
| Black (%) | 10.0 | 10.0* | 10.4 | 10.4* | 10.1 |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.5 | 2.6* | 2.6 | 3.1* | 3.1 |
| Other race (%) | 2.8 | 3.2* | 3.1 | 3.2* | 3.1 |
| Census region | |||||
| Northeast (%) | 20.1 | 19.5 | 18.8* | 19.1 | 20.1* |
| Midwest (%) | 23.4 | 23.3 | 22.9* | 22.6 | 23.0* |
| South (%) | 40.3 | 40.5 | 41.0* | 40.7 | 40.7 |
| West (%) | 16.1 | 16.7 | 17.2* | 17.6 | 16.3* |
| RxHCC Risk Score | 1.4 | 1.5* | 1.5* | 1.5* | 1.5* |
|
Any inpatient claim with RA diagnosis (%) |
19.8 | 19.8 | 19.8 | 18.9* | 18.7 |
|
Number of evaluation and management visits with RA as principal diagnosis |
2.6 | 2.5 | 2.4* | 2.3* | 2.3 |
Note: RA=rheumatoid arthritis, RxHCC= Prescription drug hierarchical condition category
*
Significantly different from estimate in previous column (year) at p<0.05.