| Sumario: | Part of a special section on access to health care for vulnerable populations. A study was conducted to examine the equitability of access within the Medicare population and how access may have changed with the introduction of the Medicare Fee Schedule (MFS). Trends in utilization, access, and satisfaction within the Medicare population from 1991 through 1993—the year before, the year of, and the year after the introduction of the MFS. Descriptive and multivariate analysis indicated that Medicare access has not deteriorated over this period and that Medicare beneficiaries are reporting increased satisfaction and fewer obstacles to receiving care. In addition, there has been a narrowing of gaps in levels of satisfaction and frequency of perceived obstacles among those in better and poorer health. This suggests that the program has become more equitable over time.
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