Qualitative Research on the Impact of Medicare Benefits
Four focus groups (two in Spokane and two in San Diego)
will meet annually over a period of three years to discuss experience
with, and opinions about, their Medicare benefits. Each group is
composed of approximately eight participants with
disabilities.
One focus group at each site, consisting of SSDI beneficiaries who currently take three or more prescription drugs, will discuss continuity of care issues associated with the new Medicare drug benefit.
A second focus group at each site, made up of SSDI beneficiaries who are working or actively pursuing return to work, will discuss incentives and/or disincentives to employment posed by the new Medicare drug benefit.
Participants will be given a stipend and offered reimbursement for transportation and personal assistance expenses.