Commentary: Patient Cost Sharing and Medical Expenditures for the Elderly

Fukushima et al. recently published research on the relationship between cost sharing policies and medical spending by the elderly Japan, as the nation in the most advanced stage of population aging, is indeed the best place to search for answers (Ogura et al., 2007). The authors provided us with a valuable contribution on the effects of such policies on the demand for medical services and costs within the subpopulation of senior citizens. The study has been conducted within a sound methodological framework and significantly expands our knowledge on the oldest among the world's large nations. I would like to complement their revealing findings with few additional facts crucial for understanding these issues.