Medicare Part D Spending Trends: Understanding Key Drivers and the Role of Competition May 8, 2012 Issue Brief This brief commissioned by the Foundation examines factors that contributed to Medicare’s lower-than-expected spending on prescription drugs under the Medicare Part D drug benefit that started in 2006. Since its launch, Medicare has spent about 30 percent less on Part D benefits than the Congressional Budget Office originally projected. Some…
Federal Funding Under the Affordable Care Act April 12, 2012 Fact Sheet This fact sheet provides highlights from an analysis tracking the flow of federal Affordable Care Act funds to states as reporter in the Department of Health and Human Services grant database as well as periodic reports from HHS and the Internal Revenue Service. The analysis distinguishes between funds awarded to…
The Role of High-Income Seniors in Medicare Reforms: The Public’s Perspective April 9, 2012 Poll Finding Medicare remains in the spotlight as policymakers and presidential candidates look for ways to rein in Medicare spending. One facet of the debate has centered on whether seniors with higher incomes should pay more for their coverage under Medicare. Based on data from the February 2012 Health Tracking Poll, this…
How Does the Benefit Value of Medicare Compare to the Benefit Value of Typical Large Employer Plans?: A 2012 Update April 4, 2012 Issue Brief This study compares the value of Medicare’s fee-for-service benefits last year with the value of benefits in two large employer health plans — a large health plan serving federal employees and a typical large employer Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan. For individuals ages 65 and older, the study finds that…
Medicare’s Role for Dual Eligible Beneficiaries April 4, 2012 Issue Brief About 9 million low-income seniors and younger people with disabilities in the United States are covered by both Medicare and Medicaid. This brief examines the role of Medicare in providing health coverage for these beneficiaries. Medicare is the primary source of health insurance, while Medicaid provides supplemental coverage, helping with…
An Update on CMS’s Capitated Financial Alignment Demonstration Model For Medicare-Medicaid Enrollees April 1, 2012 Issue Brief Beginning in January, 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement a three year multi-state demonstration to test new service delivery and payment models for people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. These demonstrations will enroll full dual eligibles in managed fee-for-service or capitated managed care plans…
The Diversity of Dual Eligible Beneficiaries: An Examination of Services and Spending for People Eligible for Both Medicaid and Medicare April 1, 2012 Issue Brief This issue brief analyzes linked Medicare and Medicaid data to examine dual eligibles’ utilization and spending in both programs in 2007. As a group, dual eligibles are costly—with per capita Medicare and Medicaid spending over four times Medicare spending for other beneficiaries. However, a small share of dual eligibles account…
Among Dual Eligibles, Identifying The Highest Cost Individuals Could Help In Crafting More Targeted And Effective Responses April 1, 2012 Report This Health Affairs article by researchers at the Urban Institute analyzes linked Medicare and Medicaid data to examine dual eligibles’ utilization and spending in both programs in 2007. It finds that while the population of people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid is indeed costly, it is not monolithic. For…
Key Issues in Understanding the Economic and Health Security of Current and Future Generations of Seniors March 3, 2012 Issue Brief As part of broad deficit-reduction plans, policymakers are considering reforms to the nation’s three major entitlement programs – Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security – that could significantly affect the economic security of seniors in their retirement years. This brief examines the role of these programs in ensuring seniors’ financial security…
Kaiser Health Tracking Poll — February 2012 March 1, 2012 Poll Finding In the midst of continuing debate on the future of the Medicare program, the February Kaiser Family Foundation Tracking Poll finds most Americans and most seniors favor the status quo, though arguments about the program’s solvency have the potential to sway opinion toward new proposals. The survey also gauges public…