Table 2.
Selected baseline characteristics of PS-matched patients who reached the coverage gap spending threshold in 2006 or 2007.
| Exposed (No financial assistance in coverage gap) N = 8,054 | Unexposed (Financial assistance in coverage gap) N = 8,054 | Delta | |
|---|---|---|---|
| N (%) or mean ± SD | |||
| Female gender | 5,066 (63) | 5,061 (63) | 0% |
| Age as of January 1 of the study year | |||
| 65 – 74 | 4,092 (51) | 4,102 (51) | 0% |
| 75 – 84 | 3,104 (39) | 3,080 (38) | −1% |
| 85+ | 858 (11) | 872 (11) | 0% |
| Race | |||
| White | 7,726 (96) | 7,767 (96) | 0% |
| Black | 232 (3) | 199 (2) | −1% |
| Other | 96 (1) | 88 (1) | 0% |
| Region | |||
| Northeast | 3,088 (38) | 3,080 (38) | 0% |
| Central | 1,469 (18) | 1,533 (19) | +1% |
| South | 2,789 (35) | 2,741 (34) | −1% |
| West | 708 (9) | 700 (9) | 0% |
| Urban residence | 6,081 (76) | 6,085 (76) | 0% |
| Median household income in zip code of residence ($) | 48,571 ± 20,468 | 48,693 ±21,459 | +$122 |
| Charlson comorbidity score* | 2 ± 2 | 2 ± 2 | 0 points |
| Number of physician visits* | 11 ± 8 | 11 ± 9 | 0 visits |
| Number of hospitalizations* | 0.4 ± 1 | 0.4 ± 1 | 0 hospitalizations |
| Number of unique medications † | 6 ± 3 | 6 ± 3 | 0 medications |
| Diagnosis of:* | |||
| Atrial fibrillation | 427 (5) | 390 (5) | 0% |
| Congestive heart failure | 1,909 (24) | 1,910 (24) | 0% |
| Coronary artery disease | 3,355 (42) | 3,318 (41) | −1% |
| Hypertension | 7,028 (87) | 7,003 (87) | 0% |
*
Assessed in the baseline year.
†
Assessed in the 2 months prior to reaching the coverage gap spending threshold.