Medicare

New & Noteworthy

Health Policy 101: Medicare
Medicare provides health insurance coverage to 66 million people. It covers a comprehensive set of health care services, including hospitalizations, physician visits, and prescription drugs, along with post-acute care, skilled nursing facility care, home health care, hospice, and preventive services.
VP Harris’ Proposal for Medicare Coverage of Home Care
KFF estimates that 14.7 million Medicare beneficiaries would potentially be eligible for the new Medicare home care benefit proposed by Vice President Kamala Harris, based on eligibility criteria used in similar, previous proposals.
Key Facts About Medigap
Key facts about Medigap, including the characteristics of Medicare beneficiaries with a Medigap policy, variation in Medigap enrollment by state, and Medigap premiums. In 2022, 12.5 million, or four in 10 (42%) people in traditional Medicare had a Medigap policy.
Medigap May Be Elusive for Beneficiaries with Pre-Existing Conditions
Medigap can protect Medicare beneficiaries from unpredictable medical expenses, but some may be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

Data Visualization

The Facts About Medicare Spending

This interactive provides the facts on Medicare spending. Medicare, which serves 67 million people and accounts for 12 percent of the federal budget and 21 percent of national health spending, is often the focus of discussions about health expenditures, health care affordability and the sustainability of federal health programs.

Explore data on enrollment growth, Medicare spending trends overall and per person, growth in Medicare spending relative to private insurance, spending on benefits and Medicare Advantage, Part A trust fund solvency challenges, and growth in out-of-pocket spending by beneficiaries.