Insulin Costs and Coverage in Medicare Part D June 4, 2020 Issue Brief In light of heightened attention to insulin and the Trump Administration’s new Part D model to address out-of-pocket costs for insulin for Medicare beneficiaries, we analyzed out-of-pocket spending on insulin by beneficiaries enrolled in Part D drug plans, variation in Part D plan formulary coverage and tier placement of insulin products, and trends in prices for insulin.
Distribution of CARES Act Funding Among Hospitals May 13, 2020 Issue Brief This brief analyzes the distribution of $50 billion in CARES Act funding for providers and shows that the distribution formula selected by the Department of Health and Human Services favored hospitals with a relatively high share of revenue from private insurance. Hospitals that see a smaller share of patients with private insurance and instead see more patients with Medicare or Medicaid received less funding per hospital bed.
Older Adults Are Hit Hard by COVID-19 – and Also Losing Jobs May 13, 2020 Blog The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on older adults both in terms of the higher health risks they face, and the financial consequences of a downturn in the economy. This blog examines the latest unemployment data among older adults and discusses the implications of job losses for older adults in terms of health insurance coverage and retirement security.
Opportunities and Barriers for Telemedicine in the U.S. During the COVID-19 Emergency and Beyond May 11, 2020 Issue Brief This brief analyzes the changes to telehealth regulation and implementation made by the federal government, state governments and health systems in response to the COVID-19 emergency. We outline key changes to telemedicine coverage, for Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers.
Retirement Insecurity in the Time of COVID-19: The Next Shoe to Drop? April 24, 2020 Blog This blog post examines the retirement security of seniors with Medicare in the context of rising unemployment and market volatility due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Medicare Beneficiaries’ Financial Security Before the Coronavirus Pandemic April 24, 2020 Issue Brief This analysis examines the income, savings, and home equity of Medicare beneficiaries in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic. We look at the overall population, and variations by age, gender and race/ethnicity.
Update on COVID-19 Funding for Hospitals and Other Providers April 24, 2020 Blog This blog is an overview of the outstanding questions related to the $100 billion for hospitals and other providers in the CARES Act and whether there will be meaningful protections for the uninsured and people with private coverage who could face surprise bills.
How Many Adults Are at Risk of Serious Illness If Infected with Coronavirus? Updated Data April 23, 2020 Issue Brief About four in ten adults (37.6%) ages 18 and older in the U.S. (92.6 million people) have a higher risk of developing serious illness if they become infected with the novel coronavirus, due to their older age (65 and older) or health condition. The share who have a higher risk varies across the country. An estimated 5.1 million of these adults are uninsured.
COVID-19 and Workers at Risk: Examining the Long-Term Care Workforce April 23, 2020 Issue Brief The highly transmissible nature of the coronavirus combined with the congregate nature of long-term care facility settings and the close and personal contact that many long-term care workers have with patients puts them at elevated risk of infection. This analysis focuses on the characteristics of the 4.5 million people who work in long-term care settings, based on the 2018 American Community Survey.
How Much More Than Medicare Do Private Insurers Pay? A Review of the Literature April 15, 2020 Issue Brief This brief reviews findings from recent studies that compare Medicare and private health insurance payment rates for both hospital and physician services.