Mortality Up With Loss of Low-Income Subsidy for Drugs

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, May 15, 2025 -- Loss of the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) for drugs after Medicaid disenrollment is associated with increased mortality, according to a study published online May 14 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Eric T. Roberts, Ph.D., from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues identified dual-eligible Medicare-Medicaid beneficiaries, who automatically receive the LIS, and calculated annual rates of Medicaid and LIS loss using 2015 to 2023 Medicare data. Beneficiaries disenrolling from Medicaid in January through June, who kept the LIS through December (six to 11 additional months [early disenrollment]; 969,606 participants) were compared with those disenrolling in July through December (12 to 17 additional months [late disenrollment]; 920,158 participants). The authors sought to examine the relationship between LIS loss and mortality.

The researchers found that those with early and late Medicaid disenrollment averaged 13.6 and 15.3 cumulative months of the LIS in the 17 months after disenrollment, respectively. At 17 months after Medicaid disenrollment, cumulative mortality was higher among those with early versus late disenrollment (78.3 versus 75.3 per 1,000; difference of 3.0 deaths). These mortality differences were amplified among those in the highest quintile of baseline Part D spending (5.6 deaths per 1,000), and for users of medications for cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, or HIV.

"Efforts to increase continuous Medicaid and LIS coverage may help protect the health of low-income populations through access to affordable medications," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2025-05-16 12:00

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords