The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
The latest survey of eligibility rules and enrollment and renewal procedures in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in their Medicaid and SCHIP programs for children and parents. It reflects changes states implemented between January 2002 and April 2003. The current survey also solicited information about states premiums and cost-sharing practices.
This publication provides state-by-state enrollment information and identifies national trends from the data. The report focuses on the five-year period from June 1997 to June 2002. In June 2002,total Medicaid enrollment in the United States reached over 38.1 million persons. This was an increase of nearly 3.2 million Medicaid enrollees from June 2001, or anannual increase of 9.2 percent.
provides comprehensive data on the impact of HIV/AIDS epidemic on Latinos in the United States. Based on the most recent data and research on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS among Latinos, the report includes an overview and epidemic profile, as well as data on major trends, access to and use of health services, and perceptions of HIV/AIDS.
Chartpack (.pdf)
These briefing charts provide background information on prescription drug use and spending among the Medicare population, recent survey data on employers’ likely reaction to a Medicare drug benefit, an overview of the proposals for prescription drug coverage passed by the House and Senate at the end of June 2003, and a summary of the key issues to be resolved in the conference.
This updated document, prepared by Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., provides a side-by-side comparison of the House and Senate Medicare proposals, as passed on June 27, 2003. The side-by-side describes key provisions of H.R. 1, The Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003, and S. 1, The Prescription Drug and Medicare Improvement Act of 2003. This updated document, which includes CBO’s recent estimates of the costs of each bill and additional detail on payments to plans and the provisions on premium support in the House bill, has been prepared as part of the Foundation’s continuing effort to track the Medicare prescription drug debate. The Foundation will be releasing a longer, more-detailed comparison of the two bills in the near future and will continue to update this side-by-side to reflect the conference agreement.
Women’s Access to Care: A State-Level Analysis of Key Health Policies
State policies play a critical role in shaping women’s access to health care. With authority over several important policy issues and the power to legislate, regulate, and enact programs that address women’s needs, state policymakers have tackled several issues of importance to women. Women’s Access to Care: A State-Level Analysis of Key Health Policies, prepared by the National Women’s Law Center and Kaiser Family Foundation, details state activity on a range of policies that influence women’s access to care, with an emphasis on private insurance, Medicaid, and reproductive health. Specific policies covered include contraceptive coverage and emergency contraception, Medicaid eligibility expansions, managed care protections, and assistance with the costs of prescription drugs.
Please note that the full report is lengthy, so you may wish to download it by chapter.
Health News Index May/June, 2003
The Health News Index measures public attention to and knowledge about leading health stories covered in the news between May 1-30. The Health News Index is designed to help news media and people in the health field gain a better understanding of which health stories Americans are following and what they understand about those issues.
The rapid increase in DTC advertising for prescription drugs has focused attention on its role in drug spending and prescribing. A new study by researchers at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology looks at the effect of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising on spending for prescription drugs. The study found that, on average, a 10% increase in DTC advertising of drugs within a therapeutic drug class resulted in a 1% increase in sales of the drugs in that class.
Applying this result to the 25 largest drug classes in 2000, the study found that every $1 the pharmaceutical industry spent on DTC advertising in that year yielded an additional $4.20 in drug sales. DTC advertising was responsible for 12% of the increase in prescription drugs sales, or an additional $2.6 billion, in 2000. DTC advertising did not appear to affect the relative market share of individual d 6084 – Impact-of-Direct-to-Consumer-Advertising-on-Prescription-Drug-Spending-Summary-of-Findingsrugs within their drug class.
The rapid increase in DTC advertising for prescription drugs has focused attention on its role in drug spending and prescribing. A new study by researchers at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology looks at the effect of direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising on spending for prescription drugs. The study found that, on average, a 10% increase in DTC advertising of drugs within a therapeutic drug class resulted in a 1% increase in sales of the drugs in that class.
Applying this result to the 25 largest drug classes in 2000, the study found that every $1 the pharmaceutical industry spent on DTC advertising in that year yielded an additional $4.20 in drug sales. DTC advertising was responsible for 12% of the increase in prescription drugs sales, or an additional $2.6 billion, in 2000. DTC advertising did not appear to affect the relative market share of individual drugs within their drug class. A summary of the research and the full report are provided below.
Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey of the Public’s Views on Medicare
A new national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health examines the public’s attitudes and opinions on issues related to the Medicare reform and prescription drug debate. The survey also takes a separate look at the differing views of younger and older Americans on this topic.
Toplines/Survey (.pdf)