The Medicine, Health, and Aging Project
An Evaluation of the Impact of PACE Plus Medicare on Health, Health Services Utilization, and the Quality of Life of Elderly Pennsylvanians
Funding
Sponsored Research Agreement between First Health Services Corporation, Harrisburg, PA, and Penn State.
Period
May 2007 - December 2008
Principle Investigator
Frank M.Ahern, Ph.D.
Co-Investigators
Debra Heller, Ph.D.
Associates
Aimee Read, B.S., Project Manager
Background
PACE and PACENET are programs which offer older Pennsylvanians assistance with paying for prescription medications. An expansion to the PACE Plus Medicare program has been recenly-legislated, and is expected to bring additional thousands of enrollees into the program. This expansion is expected to have a significant effect on the health and quality of life for its beneficaries, by easing the burden of out-of pocket expenses.
Objectives
The specific aim and method of this research is to evaluate the impact of PACE Plus Medicare on the health and quality of life of elderly Pennsylvanians. Aspects such the economic and psychosocial impacts will be examined in detail.