Medicare claims versus beneficiary self-report for influenza vaccination surveillance.

Background: Although self-reported influenza vaccination status is routinely used in surveillance to estimate influenza vaccine coverage, Medicare data are becoming a promising resource for influenza surveillance to inform vaccination program management and planning.

Purpose: To evaluate the concordance between self-reported influenza vaccination and influenza vaccination claims among Medicare beneficiaries.

Methods: This study compared influenza vaccination based upon Medicare claims and self-report among a sample of Medicare beneficiaries (N=9,378) from the 2011 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, which was the most recent year of data at the time of analysis (summer 2013).

Flu shots and the characteristics of unvaccinated elderly Medicare beneficiaries.

Data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, 2009. • Overall, 73% of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older reported receiving a flu shot for the 2008 flu season, but vaccination rates varied by socio-demographic characteristics. Flu vaccination was lowest for beneficiaries aged 65-74 years old, who were non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics, were not married, had less than a high school education, or who were eligible for Medicaid (i.