Medicare’s Coverage Decision for the New Alzheimer’s Drug and Why It Matters January 14, 2022 Blog This policy watch discusses the implications of Medicare’s preliminary National Coverage Determination for the new Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm, on the 2022 Medicare Part B premium and the possibility of an adjustment based on the coverage decision. The piece also discusses the implications for Medicare spending and the connection to ongoing policy discussions around prescription drug proposals in the Build Back Better Act.
Medicaid: What to Watch in 2022 January 18, 2022 Issue Brief As 2022 kicks off, a number of issues are at play that could affect coverage and financing under Medicaid. This issue brief examines key issues to watch in Medicaid in the year ahead.
State Delivery System and Payment Strategies Aimed at Improving Outcomes and Lowering Costs in Medicaid January 12, 2022 Issue Brief State Medicaid programs are using managed care and an array of other service delivery and payment system reforms, financial incentives, and managed care contracting requirements to help achieve better outcomes and lower costs. This brief examines what delivery system and payment reform initiatives are in place across states; how are states linking financial incentives and using transparency to improve quality and outcomes; and how are states leveraging managed care plan contracts to advance delivery system and payment reform initiatives.
New KFF Resource Explains Key Provisions for Maternal Health Within the Build Back Better Act December 16, 2021 News Release If passed, the Build Back Better Act (BBBA) would include several provisions to improve maternal health, particularly for people of color. A new KFF Policy Watch explains the different provisions, their potential impact on parents and children, as well as the projected federal costs of these proposals. From expanding Medicaid…
Maternal Health in the Build Back Better Act December 16, 2021 Blog This policy watch highlights the different provisions and potential impact on parents and children in America. From expanding Medicaid postpartum coverage to establishing a national paid family leave policy, the BBBA could provide more support to states and community organizations working to improve maternal health.
New Analysis of Historical Rates of Medicaid Enrollment Churn Sheds Light on the Implications for the End of the Continuous Enrollment Requirement Tied to Pandemic Funding December 14, 2021 News Release For more than a year-and-a-half, the continuous enrollment requirement tied to enhanced Medicaid funding during the COVID-19 pandemic has all but halted enrollment “churn,” the temporary loss of coverage in which people disenroll from Medicaid and then re-enroll within a short period of time. Such disenrollments are expected to resume…
Explaining the New COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Health Care Provider Staff December 15, 2021 Issue Brief This issue brief examines the new regulations, explains the status of the pending litigation, and identifies issues to watch.
Medicaid Enrollment Churn and Implications for Continuous Coverage Policies December 14, 2021 Issue Brief Recent policy actions and proposals in Medicaid have renewed focus on the problem of churn, or temporary loss of coverage in which enrollees disenroll and then re-enroll within a short period of time. We find that 10% of full-benefit enrollees have a gap in coverage of less than a year, and rates are higher for children and adults compared to aged and people with disabilities. Churn has implications for access to care as well as administrative costs faced by states.
Medicaid Outpatient Prescription Drug Trends During the COVID-19 Pandemic December 14, 2021 Issue Brief This data note describes Medicaid prescription drug utilization and spending trends in calendar year 2020 compared to previous years to explore how the pandemic impacted Medicaid prescription drug utilization and spending.
How Build Back Better Would Affect Drug Costs December 8, 2021 Slide Provisions in the bill that would lower prescription drug costs and reduce federal drug spending would take effect over the next several years, starting in 2023.