Medicare: Part D / Prescription Drugs - Kaiser Family Foundation

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Medicare: Part D / Prescription Drugs

Medicare in Health Reform
The Foundation has prepared a summary of the Medicare provisions in the 2010 health reform law, as well as a series of explanatory briefs examining how the law will close the Medicare drug benefit’s coverage gap, affect the Medicare Advantage program and establish an independent payment board to limit Medicare's spending growth.

2010 Medicare Part D Data Spotlights
The Kaiser Family Foundation has issued a series of data spotlights, including a summary of findings, examining key aspects of the drug plans available to Medicare beneficiaries in 2010 and relevant trends since the Medicare drug benefit took effect in 2006.

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Medicare Advantage Fact Sheet -- September 2010
This updated fact sheet provides an overview of the Medicare Advantage program, describes program changes made by the new drug law in plan participation and beneficiary enrollment, presents data on benefits and premiums, and explains changes in Medicare payments to participating plans.

Medicare at a Glance - Fact Sheet -- September 2010
This fact sheet provides a basic overview of the Medicare program, including how it is financed, who is eligible and what benefits are covered under the program. In addition, it describes supplemental health insurance, benefits provided by the new drug law and data on Medicare expenditures and financing.

Medicare Spending and Financing Fact Sheet -- August 2010
This updated fact sheet provides an overview of spending on the Medicare program and how the program is financed. It includes the latest available data on Medicare financing and incorporates reductions in the rate of growth of Medicare spending attributable to the 2010 health reform law, including an updated estimate showing the law will extend the solvency of the Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance Trust Fund until 2029.

Tutorial: Health Reform and Medicare -- July 2010

In this KaiserEDU.org tutorial, Tricia Neuman, Sc.D., Kaiser Family Foundation’s Vice President and Director of the Medicare Policy Project, reviews the background of the Medicare program and explains the key Medicare provisions included in the new health reform law.

Summary of New Health Reform Law -- June 2010
This summary reflects provisions of the comprehensive health reform legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law in March 2010, as changed by subsequent legislation.

Health Reform Implementation Timeline -- June 2010
The implementation timeline reflects the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care & Education Reconciliation Act, each of which was signed into law in March 2010. It contains more than a dozen key provisions scheduled to take effect in 2010 and continues through 2014, when the major reforms to expand access to health coverage are fully implemented.

Summary of Key Changes to Medicare in 2010 Health Reform Law -- May 2010
This brief provides a detailed look at the improvements in Medicare benefits, changes to payments for providers and Medicare Advantage plans and other Medicare provisions in the health reform law, and includes a timeline of key implementation dates.

Explaining Health Reform: Medicare and the New Independent Payment Advisory Board -- May 2010
This brief describes how the new board created under the 2010 health reform law is expected to limit the growth in Medicare spending over time.

Medicare: A Primer -- April 2010
This primer provides an overview of the Medicare program, how it is structured, who it serves, and how it works.

Explaining Health Care Reform: Key Changes to the Medicare Part D Drug Benefit Coverage Gap -- March 2010
This brief explains how the health reform reconciliation provisions now being considered in Congress would work in helping fill the coverage gap, or "doughnut hole", for Medicare beneficiaries with high-drug costs.

This updated fact sheet provides an overview of the Medicare Advantage program, describes program changes made by the new drug law in plan participation and beneficiary enrollment, presents data on benefits and premiums, and explains changes in Medicare payments to participating plans.

This fact sheet provides a basic overview of the Medicare program, including how it is financed, who is eligible and what benefits are covered under the program. In addition, it describes supplemental health insurance, benefits provided by the new drug law and data on Medicare expenditures and financing.

This updated fact sheet provides an overview of spending on the Medicare program and how the program is financed. It includes the latest available data on Medicare financing and incorporates reductions in the rate of growth of Medicare spending attributable to the 2010 health reform law, including an updated estimate showing the law will extend the solvency of the Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance Trust Fund until 2029.

This summary reflects provisions of the comprehensive health reform legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into law in March 2010, as changed by subsequent legislation.

The implementation timeline reflects the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care & Education Reconciliation Act, each of which was signed into law in March 2010. It contains more than a dozen key provisions scheduled to take effect in 2010 and continues through 2014, when the major reforms to expand access to health coverage are fully implemented.

This brief provides a detailed look at the improvements in Medicare benefits, changes to payments for providers and Medicare Advantage plans and other Medicare provisions in the health reform law, and includes a timeline of key implementation dates.

This brief describes how the new board created under the 2010 health reform law is expected to limit the growth in Medicare spending over time.

This primer provides an overview of the Medicare program, how it is structured, who it serves, and how it works.

This brief explains how the health reform reconciliation provisions now being considered in Congress would work in helping fill the coverage gap, or "doughnut hole", for Medicare beneficiaries with high-drug costs.

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Part D / Prescription Drugs: Medicare

Prescription drug use increases with age, along with the prevalence of chronic and acute health problems. The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 established Medicare Part D, an outpatient prescription drug benefit that took effect in 2006. Through Part D, Medicare beneficiaries have access to prescription drug coverage offered by private health plans, either stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs) or Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MA-PD) plans, such as HMOs or PPOs. Part D plans are required to provide a “standard” benefit or one that is actuarially equivalent, and may offer more generous benefits. In general, individuals who sign up for a Part D plan pay a monthly premium, along with cost-sharing amounts for each prescription. Currently, 90 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries have prescription drug coverage, with 26 million Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a Part D plan and another 10 million receiving drug coverage from an employer or union plan.