Disabled Medicare Beneficiaries by Dual Eligible Status: California, 1996-2001

This highlight describes the characteristics and inpatient utilization of under age 65 disabled California Medicare beneficiaries by dual eligible status (i.e., Medicaid State buy-in coverage or not). More disabled dually eligible beneficiaries are younger, non-White, and in fee-for-service than non-dually eligible beneficiaries. Disabled dually eligible beneficiaries experienced consistently higher hospitalization rates and average length of stay (LOS) than non-dually eligible beneficiaries from 1996 to 2001.