This document contains the chartpack from the June Health Tracking Poll. The survey was designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and was conducted June 1 through June 8, 2009, among a nationally representative random sample of 1,205 adults ages 18 and older. Telephone interviews conducted by landline (804) and cell phone (401, including 157 who had no landline telephone) were carried out in English and Spanish. The margin of sampling error for the total sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points. For results based on subgroups, the margin of sampling error is higher.

Chartpack (.pdf)

The June Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds remarkable stability in public opinion on health reform as Congressional committees begin to hone in on the details of their health reform bills and debate intensifies. A solid majority of the American people continue to believe that health reform is more important than ever given the country’s economic problems.

A solid majority of the American people continue to believe that health reform is more important than ever given the country’s economic problems; sizeable majorities support key elements of reform currently being debated such as employer mandates, individual mandates, and a public plan option. However, as we have seen in previous polls less than half of the public say they are willing to pay more for health reform, with a similar number supporting changing the tax treatment of employer based health insurance, one of the major revenue raisers being discussed. Overall opinion remains highly moveable, with support for many elements of reform susceptible to arguments pro and con and often moving by as much as 40 percentage points when arguments are tested.

The June Kaiser Health Tracking Poll, the third in a series designed and analyzed by the Foundation’s public opinion survey research team, examines voters’ specific health care issue interests and experiences and perceptions about health care reform.

News Release

Key Findings

Chartpack

Toplines

This Data Spotlight focuses on Part D plan coverage of the ten brand-name drugs that were most commonly prescribed for Medicare beneficiaries in 2006 and lack generic equivalents in 2009. Findings are based on an analysis of data for the 44 unique, national and near-national stand-alone prescription drug plans. The list of the top ten brand-name drugs is based on the number of prescriptions filled in 2006 in all Part D plans. The list includes cholesterol-lowering and other cardiovascular medications; one drug for treating osteoporosis; two proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) used to treat gastrointestinal reflux and ulcers; an inhaled drug that treats asthma, emphysema, and other respiratory disorders; and medications used to treat dementia, depression, and bipolar disorder.

The spotlight is one in a series analyzing key aspects of the Medicare Part D drug plans that will be available to beneficiaries in 2009. The analysis was conducted jointed by Jack Hoadley of Georgetown University, Elizabeth Hargrave of NORC at the University of Chicago, and Juliette Cubanski and Tricia Neuman of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Issue Brief (.pdf)

This document contains the toplines from the June Health Tracking Poll. The survey was designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and was conducted June 1 through June 8, 2009, among a nationally representative random sample of 1,205 adults ages 18 and older. Telephone interviews conducted by landline (804) and cell phone (401, including 157 who had no landline telephone) were carried out in English and Spanish. The margin of sampling error for the total sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points. For results based on subgroups, the margin of sampling error is higher.

Topline/Survey

This document contains the key findings from the June Health Tracking Poll. The survey was designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and was conducted June 1 through June 8, 2009, among a nationally representative random sample of 1,205 adults ages 18 and older. Telephone interviews conducted by landline (804) and cell phone (401, including 157 who had no landline telephone) were carried out in English and Spanish. The margin of sampling error for the total sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points. For results based on subgroups, the margin of sampling error is higher.

Key Findings (.pdf)

One of the key questions explored in the Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of Americans on the U.S. Role in Global Health is the public’s level of support for U.S. government spending to improve health for people in developing countries. The survey found that about two thirds of Americans say current levels of U.S. spending in this area are too low (26 percent) or about right (39 percent). In this Data Note, we take a deeper look at those who want to increase spending — the 26 percent who say the U.S. currently spends too little on global health efforts —and attempt to determine which factors are the strongest predictors of such support.

Data Note (.pdf)

Since 2006, Medicare beneficiaries have had access to prescription drug coverage offered by private plans, either stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs) or Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans (MA-PD plans). Today, more than 26 million Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare drug plans, including 17.5 million in stand-alone prescription drug plans and 9 million in Medicare Advantage drug plans.

This report summarizes findings from a series of Medicare Part D 2009 Data Spotlights documenting changes in drug coverage and costs since 2006. It presents key findings related to Medicare drug plan premiums, the coverage gap, benefit design and cost sharing, the specialty tier, formularies, and utilization management, based on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for all plans participating in Part D. The analysis was conducted jointed by Jack Hoadley of Georgetown University, Elizabeth Hargrave of NORC at the University of Chicago, and Juliette Cubanski and Tricia Neuman of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Issue Brief (.pdf)

Most Medicare Part D prescription drug plans use tiers with different cost-sharing amounts for generic, preferred, and non-preferred drugs, and also include an additional “specialty” tier for very high cost and unique drugs. This 2009 Part D Data Spotlight examines use of the specialty tier, including the numbers and kinds of drugs included on specialty tiers, what beneficiaries pay for those drugs, and trends over time.

The spotlight is one in a series analyzing key aspects of the Medicare Part D drug plans that will be available to beneficiaries in 2009. The analysis was conducted jointed by Jack Hoadley of Georgetown University, Elizabeth Hargrave of NORC at the University of Chicago, and Juliette Cubanski and Tricia Neuman of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Issue Brief (.pdf)

This brief, the fourth in a series, examines important changes to CHIP’s financing structure under the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009.

The law includes a number of important programmatic and financing changes that affect both Medicaid and CHIP. Among the most important changes include significant new funding for the CHIP program, changes in the formula for distributing CHIP funds among states and a new option for states to decide whether to use CHIP or Medicaid funding to cover children. Taken together, the financing changes provide states with reliable federal matching funds adequate to both continue and expand their CHIP programs.

Issue Brief (.pdf)

This Kaiser Family Foundation report documents the persistence of disparities between white women and women of color across the country. It provides a rare and comprehensive state-level look at disparities among women of different races and ethnicities on a broad range of indicators of health and well-being, including rates of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, AIDS and cancer, and access to health insurance and health screenings.

Full Report (.pdf)

Executive Summary (.pdf)

Introduction and Methods (.pdf)

Health Status (.pdf)

Access and Utilization (.pdf)

Social Determinants (.pdf)

Health Care Payments and Workforce (.pdf)

Conclusion (.pdf)