Explaining the Prescription Drug Provisions in the Build Back Better Act November 23, 2021 Issue Brief The Build Back Better Act includes several provisions that would lower prescription drug costs for people with Medicare and private insurance and reduce drug spending by the federal government and private payers. This brief summarizes these provisions and discusses the expected effects on people, program spending, and drug prices and innovation.
Analysis Compares President Trump and Democratic Nominee Biden on COVID-19 September 11, 2020 News Release Few issues are likely to matter as much to voters in November’s presidential election as President Trump’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis, which have left almost 200,000 Americans dead and prompted job layoffs and furloughs affecting tens of millions of Americans. A new election brief compares…
Comparing Trump and Biden on COVID-19 September 11, 2020 Issue Brief This issue brief compares President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden on their records, actions and proposals related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes a general overview of their respective approaches, followed by a detailed side-by-side.
When Cost-Sharing Waivers for COVID-19 Treatment Expire for People with Private Insurance Plans August 24, 2020 Slide About 88% – nearly nine in ten – enrollees in the individual and fully-insured group markets are covered by plans that have taken action to limit out-of-pocket costs for patients undergoing treatment for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. However, after accounting for waivers that have already expired (20%) or are scheduled to expire by the end of September (16%), just over half of enrollees in these plans will still be eligible for waived cost-sharing in October and beyond.
Cost-Sharing Waivers and Premium Relief by Private Plans in Response to COVID-19 (Nov. 2020 Update) November 20, 2020 Issue Brief An updated issue brief estimates the number of enrollees in individual and fully-insured group market plans that have waived cost-sharing – out-of-pocket costs including coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles – for COVID-19 treatment. The analysis also estimates the number of enrollees whose insurer is offering various forms of premium payment relief.…
Analysis: Many Private Insurers Offer Financial Relief for COVID-19 Treatment, but Cost-Sharing Waivers Are Expiring August 20, 2020 News Release A new analysis finds that most people with individual or fully-insured group market coverage are in plans that waived cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatment, though many of those waivers are set to expire in the coming months. About 88% – nearly nine in ten – enrollees in the individual and fully-insured…
Health Affairs Article: Medicare Part D Plans Rarely Cover Brand-Name Drugs When Generics Are Available August 10, 2020 Issue Brief In an article in Health Affairs, KFF’s Juliette Cubanski, Sarah True and Tricia Neuman, and several other co-authors, explore how often brand-name drugs receive favorable formulary inclusion relative to generics in the Medicare Part D program’s prescription drug plans.
Free Coronavirus Testing for Privately Insured Patients? April 20, 2020 Blog While privately insured people are eligible to have the cost of coronavirus testing covered 100% by their health plan, that doesn’t mean that insured patients won’t be asked to pay up front for the cost of testing or that they can easily be reimbursed.
Medicare Beneficiaries Without Supplemental Coverage Are at Risk for Out-of-Pocket Costs Relating to COVID-19 Treatment April 14, 2020 Blog Most Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans that have waived cost sharing for COVID-19 treatment, and many other beneficiaries in traditional Medicare have their cost sharing covered by supplemental insurance. This blog post discusses the 6 million Medicare beneficiaries without supplemental coverage who would face out-of-pocket costs if they require treatment for COVID-19.