Medicare

Twenty-two states and D.C. have vaccinated at least one-third of their residents who are 65 and older against COVID-19 as of February 23, our updated analysis finds. No state has crossed the threshold of vaccinating 50% or more of its older population. The share of adults 65 and older who have received at least one dose of a vaccine ranges from 49% in North Carolina to 27% in Pennsylvania. Moreover, between February 4 and February 23, vaccination rates among older adults have increased across each state that reported consistently at both points in time, with increases ranging from 10 to 22 percentage points.

The cost of prescription drugs remains a big concern for policy makers and the public. While dealing with such costs takes a back seat to addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, a raft of rules and proposals to rein in prescription drug spending are still on the table. We review final rules advanced by the Trump Administration regarding Medicare, importation, 340B pricing for insulin and epinephrine, and summarize Medicare-related drug pricing proposals backed by President Biden during the presidential campaign.

Fifty-seven percent of Medicare beneficiaries do not review or compare their coverage options annually – a decision that can lead to unanticipated costs or coverage disruptions as beneficiaries pick Part D stand-alone drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans. Medicare’s annual open enrollment period runs from October 15 through December 7.