Table 1.
Study Population Characteristics of Beneficiaries Enrolled in Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) Parts A and B, by Year: 2016, 2019, 2020 – United States.⁎
| 2016 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| N (%) |
N (%) |
N (%) |
|
| Total FFS Parts A and B Enrolled Study Population | 33,981,644 (100%) | 33,172,265 (100%) | 32,407,844 (100%) |
| Race & Ethnicity | |||
| American Indian/Alaskan Native | 190,392 (0.56%) | 185,243 (0.56%) | 175,876 (0.54%) |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 838,204 (2.47%) | 896,370 (2.7%) | 903,018 (2.79%) |
| Non-Hispanic White | 27,037,631 (79.57%) | 26,368,784 (79.49%) | 25,784,260 (79.56%) |
| Black/African American | 3,218,260 (9.47%) | 2,900,963 (8.75%) | 2,730,698 (8.43%) |
| Hispanic | 1,994,862 (5.87%) | 1,942,729 (5.86%) | 1,895,342 (5.85%) |
| Other | 259,131 (0.76%) | 261,433 (0.79%) | 260,963 (0.81%) |
| Unknown/Missing | 443,164 (1.30%) | 616,743 (1.86%) | 657,687 (2.03%) |
| Age Group | |||
| ≤ 54 | 2,838,620 (8.35%) | 2,308,289 (6.96%) | 2,113,073 (6.52%) |
| 55–64 | 2,760,319 (8.12%) | 2,391,802 (7.21%) | 2,169,361 (6.69%) |
| 65–74 | 15,216,392 (44.78%) | 15,471,562 (46.64%) | 15,329,619 (47.3%) |
| 75–84 | 8,688,628 (25.57%) | 8,861,728 (26.71%) | 8,763,014 (27.04%) |
| 85+ | 4,477,685 (13.18%) | 4,138,884 (12.48%) | 4,032,777 (12.44%) |
| Unknown/Missing | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
| Sex | |||
| Female | 18,650,709 (54.88%) | 18,102,031 (54.57%) | 17,666,581 (54.51%) |
| Male | 15,330,923 (45.12%) | 15,070,234 (45.43%) | 14,741,263 (45.49%) |
| Unknown/Missing | 12 (0%) | – | – |
| Dual Eligibility | |||
| Full-benefit | 5,224,875 (15.38%) | 4,724,570 (14.24%) | 4,509,095 (13.91%) |
| Partial-benefit | 1,801,665 (5.30%) | 1,534,516 (4.63%) | 1,318,733 (4.07%) |
| Non-dual | 26,955,104 (79.32%) | 26,913,179 (81.13%) | 26,580,016 (82.02%) |
| Region | |||
| Rural | 8,924,595 (26.26%) | 8,663,073 (26.12%) | 8,382,247 (25.86%) |
| Urban | 25,057,049 (73.74%) | 24,509,192 (73.88%) | 24,025,597 (74.14%) |
| Health Condition Groups# | |||
| Age-related Condition Categories | |||
| Acquired Hypothyroidism | 8,509,425 (25.04%) | 8,486,083 (25.58%) | 8,312,691 (25.65%) |
| Anemia | 16,137,721 (47.49%) | 15,531,680 (46.82%) | 15,068,153 (46.50%) |
| Asthma | 4,592,860 (13.52%) | 4,468,200 (13.47%) | 4,320,480 (13.33%) |
| Atrial Fibrillation | 4,468,535 (13.15%) | 4,444,036 (13.40%) | 4,341,244 (13.4%) |
| Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia^ | 5,605,572 (16.5%) | 5,743,506 (17.31%) | 5,689,937 (17.56%) |
| Breast Cancer^⁎ | 1,698,011 (9.10%) | 1,721,820 (9.51%) | 1,703,824 (9.64%) |
| Chronic Kidney Disease | 9,790,513 (28.81%) | 10,943,855 (32.99%) | 10,964,909 (33.83%) |
| Colorectal Cancer | 842,517 (2.48%) | 782,572 (2.36%) | 748,772 (2.31%) |
| COPD | 8,068,163 (23.74%) | 7,598,151 (22.91%) | 7,158,133 (22.09%) |
| Diabetes | 11,683,383 (34.38%) | 11,244,429 (33.9%) | 10,874,458 (33.56%) |
| Endometrial Cancer^ | 292,108 (0.86%) | 305,662 (0.92%) | 302,898 (0.93%) |
| Eye Cataract | 18,751,744 (55.18%) | 18,419,440 (55.53%) | 17,920,002 (55.30%) |
| Glaucoma | 6,750,091 (19.86%) | 6,652,286 (20.05%) | 6,465,916 (19.95%) |
| Heart Failure | 7,595,494 (22.35%) | 7,227,956 (21.79%) | 6,962,128 (21.48%) |
| Hip/Pelvic Fracture | 1,128,864 (3.32%) | 1,083,261 (3.27%) | 1,053,915 (3.25%) |
| Hyperlipidemia | 23,924,750 (70.4%) | 23,747,352 (71.59%) | 23,288,434 (71.86%) |
| Hypertension | 24,728,815 (72.77%) | 24,004,977 (72.36%) | 23,314,612 (71.94%) |
| Ischemic Heart Disease | 13,757,397 (40.48%) | 13,151,559 (39.65%) | 12,760,694 (39.38%) |
| Leukemias and Lymphomas | 681,900 (2.01%) | 730,093 (2.20%) | 732,297 (2.26%) |
| Liver Disease, Cirrhosis & Related (Non-Hep.) | 3,057,660 (9.00%) | 3,528,934 (10.64%) | 3,588,910 (11.07%) |
| Lung Cancer | 514,076 (1.51%) | 515,386 (1.55%) | 500,226 (1.54%) |
| Osteoporosis | 6,105,348 (17.97%) | 5,928,401 (17.87%) | 5,797,718 (17.89%) |
| Peripheral Vascular Disease | 6,622,026 (19.49%) | 6,582,587 (19.84%) | 6,429,870 (19.84%) |
| Pressure Ulcers and Chronic Ulcers | 2,782,231 (8.19%) | 2,663,917 (8.03%) | 2,607,234 (8.05%) |
| Prostate Cancer^ | 1,668,595 (4.91%) | 1,671,711 (5.04%) | 1,651,400 (5.1%) |
| Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis | 17,427,419 (51.28%) | 17,661,940 (53.24%) | 17,277,074 (53.31%) |
| Stroke | 4,369,601 (12.86%) | 4,131,235 (12.45%) | 3,987,067 (12.30%) |
| Disability-related Condition Categories | |||
| Alzheimer's | 1,753,243 (5.16%) | 1,561,211 (4.71%) | 1,459,760 (4.50%) |
| Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias | 4,400,422 (12.95%) | 4,333,510 (13.06%) | 4,217,382 (13.01%) |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 109,252 (0.32%) | 139,875 (0.42%) | 147,053 (0.45%) |
| Blindness and Visual Impairment | 501,976 (1.48%) | 390,816 (1.18%) | 361,112 (1.11%) |
| Cerebral Palsy | 174,033 (0.51%) | 172,820 (0.52%) | 168,620 (0.52%) |
| Cystic Fibrosis and Related | 591,249 (1.74%) | 722,972 (2.18%) | 736,909 (2.27%) |
| Deafness & Hearing Impairment | 4,074,926 (11.99%) | 4,536,294 (13.67%) | 4,568,282 (14.1%) |
| Developmental Delays | 114,799 (0.34%) | 130,025 (0.39%) | 131,989 (0.41%) |
| Epilepsy | 1,316,634 (3.87%) | 1,329,718 (4.01%) | 1,290,538 (3.98%) |
| Intellectual Disabilities and Related | 561,781 (1.65%) | 554,727 (1.67%) | 540,786 (1.67%) |
| Learning Disabilities | 106,941 (0.31%) | 161,065 (0.49%) | 171,314 (0.53%) |
| Mobility Impairments | 1,629,088 (4.79%) | 1,652,691 (4.98%) | 1,614,693 (4.98%) |
| Multiple Sclerosis and Transverse Myelitis | 270,947 (0.80%) | 270,786 (0.82%) | 263,835 (0.81%) |
| Muscular Dystrophy | 36,777 (0.11%) | 35,805 (0.11%) | 34,279 (0.11%) |
| Spina Bifida and Related | 118,898 (0.35%) | 121,339 (0.37%) | 120,887 (0.37%) |
| Spinal Cord Injury | 338,996 (1.00%) | 493,226 (1.49%) | 510,026 (1.57%) |
| Traumatic Brain Injury and Related | 416,176 (1.22%) | 415,889 (1.25%) | 399,972 (1.23%) |
| Mental & Behavioral Health Condition Categories | |||
| ADHD and Conduct Disorders | 641,561 (1.89%) | 699,483 (2.11%) | 694,156 (2.14%) |
| Alcohol Use Disorders | 1,574,802 (4.63%) | 1,575,874 (4.75%) | 1,522,581 (4.70%) |
| Anxiety Disorders | 8,396,286 (24.71%) | 9,241,457 (27.86%) | 9,230,929 (28.48%) |
| Bipolar Disorder | 1,913,515 (5.63%) | 1,948,395 (5.87%) | 1,894,114 (5.84%) |
| Major Depressive Disorder | 11,406,342 (33.57%) | 11,517,759 (34.72%) | 11,218,727 (34.62%) |
| Opioid use disorder (OUD) | 1,072,087 (3.15%) | 1,385,319 (4.18%) | 1,374,591 (4.24%) |
| Personality Disorders | 787,064 (2.32%) | 989,706 (2.98%) | 983,502 (3.03%) |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | 665,112 (1.96%) | 792,477 (2.39%) | 796,938 (2.46%) |
| Psychotic Disorders (Non-Schizophrenic) | 1,159,917 (3.41%) | 871,596 (2.63%) | 792,943 (2.45%) |
| Schizophrenia | 890,503 (2.62%) | 832,516 (2.51%) | 790,317 (2.44%) |
| Other Condition Categories | |||
| Chronic Pain/Fatigue, Fibromyalgia | 9,549,362(28.1%) | 11,678,963 (35.21%) | 11,750,977 (36.26%) |
| HIV/AIDS | 151,067(0.44%) | 138,190 (0.42%) | 130,541 (0.40%) |
| Migraine and Chronic Headache | 1,917,095(5.64%) | 2,331,958 (7.03%) | 2,370,649 (7.32%) |
| Obesity | 7,623,228(22.43%) | 9,802,605 (29.55%) | 9,838,276 (30.36%) |
| Sickle Cell Disease | 17,656(0.05%) | 16,470 (0.05%) | 15,667 (0.05%) |
| Tobacco Use Disorders | 4,856,757(14.29%) | 5,090,674 (15.35%) | 4,866,829 (15.02%) |
| Viral Hepatitis (General) | 686,672(2.02%) | 686,403 (2.07%) | 654,631 (2.02%) |
∼ Due to cell size suppression requirements, those Medicare beneficiaries with missing sex values in 2019 and 2020 were combined with the female sex group, summing to 12 total observations across the two years.
# Condition categories are not mutually exclusive at the beneficiary level, therefore summing is not appropriate.
^ Percentages for sex-specific conditions were calculated using appropriate sex-specific denominators.
⁎
Because breast cancer prevalence in males is less than 1% (47), percentages were calculated using the denominator for females. The percentages with breast cancer among combined female and male Medicare beneficiaries in this sample for 2016, 2019 and 2020 are respectively: 5.00%, 5.19%, 5.26%.