A Primer on Dually Eligible Beneficiaries June 3, 2011 Event The nine million dually eligible beneficiaries are generally poorer and sicker than other Medicare beneficiaries, tend to use more health care services, and thus account for a disproportionate share of Medicare and Medicaid spending. Because they often have complex medical and long-term care needs, and must navigate both Medicaid and…
Kaiser Health Tracking Poll — June 2011 June 2, 2011 Poll Finding The June Kaiser Health Tracking Poll examines the opinions of seniors and the public about Medicare and the federal budget deficit, a topic of heightened interest these days as policymakers in Washington focus on ways to bring down Medicare spending as part of efforts to reduce the deficit. The poll…
The Role of Medicare and Beneficiaries in the Deficit-Reduction Debate June 1, 2011 Event This Kaiser Family Foundation briefing examined how Medicare reform options now under consideration might work and their implications for beneficiaries and taxpayers. As context for understanding the potential effects of reforms, the briefing looked at the current and projected income and assets of people on Medicare, out-of pocket health care…
Making Ends Meet: The Medicare Generation June 1, 2011 Video This short Kaiser Family Foundation documentary profiles the experiences of three Medicare families trying to pay for their health care costs with other household spending. The families are among 16 featured in a companion report examining the role Medicare now plays in the lives of beneficiaries and the challenges many…
Affordable Care Act Provisions Relating to the Care of Dually Eligible Medicare and Medicaid Beneficiaries May 30, 2011 Issue Brief This issue brief identifies the major provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) that are designed to improve care and streamline service delivery for dual eligibles, the millions of low-income seniors and younger persons with disabilities who are enrolled in both the Medicaid and Medicare programs. Dual…
Medicaid’s Role for Dual Eligibles May 30, 2011 Issue Brief These short profiles illustrate the help that Medicaid provides to four individuals who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare. They include a 66-year-old former nurse who suffers from a multitude of health problems; an 86-year-old stroke survivor and nursing home resident; a 64-year-old man with disabilities who lives independently; and…
Projecting Income and Assets: What Might the Future Hold for the Next Generation of Medicare Beneficiaries? May 30, 2011 Report As national attention turns to the federal deficit, some policymakers have proposed reforms to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security that could have significant implications for current and future generations of seniors and younger adults with disabilities. This data spotlight, co-authored by researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Urban…
How Much Skin in the Game is Enough? The Financial Burden of Health Spending for People on Medicare May 30, 2011 Report How Much ” Skin in the Game ” is Enough? The Financial Burden of Health Spending for People on Medicare Medicare extends health security and financial protection to seniors and younger people with disabilities. However, premiums, relatively high cost-sharing requirements, and gaps in the benefit package result in some beneficiaries…
Dual Eligibles: Medicaid’s Role for Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries May 1, 2011 Fact Sheet This updated fact sheet describes the nearly 8.9 million “dual eligibles,” the low-income elderly and persons with disabilities who are enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, why this population needs Medicaid, what services they receive from Medicaid, and what the new health reform law may mean for them. Fact Sheet (.pdf)
Proposed Changes to Medicare in the “Path to Prosperity”: Overview and Key Questions April 14, 2011 Issue Brief This brief examines key Medicare provisions included in “The Path to Prosperity: Restoring America’s Promise,” a long-term budget proposal released by House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan on April 5, 2011, which outlines a strategy for reducing federal spending and reducing the national debt over time. The Medicare provisions are among…