Forgone Health Care for Non–COVID-19–Related Needs Among Medicare Beneficiaries During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Summer 2020–Winter 2021

INTRODUCTION: Forgone health care, defined as not using health care despite perceiving a need for it, is associated with poor health outcomes, especially among people with chronic conditions. The objective of our study was to examine how the pandemic affected forgone health care during 3 stages of the pandemic. METHODS: We used the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey COVID-19 Rapid Response Questionnaire administered in summer 2020, fall 2020, and winter 2021 to examine sociodemographic characteristics, chronic diseases, COVID-19 vaccination status, and telehealth availability in relation to beneficiary reports of forgone health care. RESULTS: Of the 3 periods studied, the overall rate of forgone health care was highest in summer 2020 (20.8%), followed by fall 2020 (7.8%) and winter 2021 (6.5%). COVID-19 vaccination status, age, sex, race and ethnicity, US region, availability of primary care telehealth appointments, and chronic conditions (heart disease, arthritis, depression, osteoporosis or a broken hip, and diabetes or high blood glucose) were significantly related to forgone care. CONCLUSION: High rates of forgone care among Medicare participants varied over time and were significantly related to beneficiary characteristics. Our findings highlight the need for health care reform and changes in policy to address the issue of access to care for people with chronic conditions during a pandemic or other public health emergency.