Key Findings Older women outnumber older men in Medicare and are disproportionately represented among poor and low-income beneficiaries age 65 and older. Women tend to outnumber men in the ranks of the uninsured in the 10 years preceding Medicare eligibility. Medicaid figures more prominently as a source of health care coverage for older women than older men, while older men are more likely to lack any supplemental coverage. This disparity widens with age. Women, on average, spend substantially more than men on short-term nursing home care, but substantially less on inpatient hospital care.
Women tend to be more burdened by prescription drug costs than men.
Older women, even if they have adequate insurance coverage, may encounter barriers to health care due to factors such as caregiving responsibilities, living arrangements, or provider attitudes. Implications for Medicare Reform Given the financial vulnerabilities facing older women, the most important Medicare reforms are the ones that address the availability, adequacy, and affordability of health insurance coverage. There are serious questions as to whether a Medicare premium support system would be affordable for many beneficiaries in the long run. Concerns about access to affordable health insurance arise in the context of proposals to raise the age of Medicare eligibility. Some form of a Medicare buy-in option would help to offset this potential problem.