Although Medicare is a national program, there are substantial variations across states and regions in terms of beneficiary characteristics, health needs, and utilization of Medicare-covered services. Likewise, there are also considerable differences in Medicare spending and the emergence of Medicare managed care. In a single resource document, , presents state-by-state demographic data on the Medicare population, along with information on health service utilization, spending, and Medicare HMO penetration. It also provides regional data on the distribution of beneficiaries by poverty level, self-reported health status, and insurance coverage.

• Chartbook

This report updates an earlier study of Oregon’s experience with restructuring their Medicaid programs. It is one of a series of reports from The Kaiser/Commonwealth Low-Income Coverage and Access Project. This project examines how changes in the Medicaid Program have affected health insurance coverage and access to care for the low-income population in eight states: Maryland, California, Florida, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas.

• Report

This report analyzes supplemental benefits offered and premiums charged by Medicare HMOs nationwide in 1999, assessing the generosity of selected benefits, including prescription drugs. The study finds that the level of monthly premiums charged by Medicare HMOs, and the generosity of many supplemental benefits, especially prescription drugs, vary widely within and across markets. The study also finds that variations in benefits offered by Medicare HMOs can expose beneficiaries to complex choices and have a significant impact on out-of-pocket expenses for seniors.

• Report:

A new survey conducted by National Public Radio/Kaiser Family Foundation/Kennedy School of Government looks at Americans’ views on public schools and education. The survey finds strong support across the board for many improvements, even if it means paying higher taxes. The survey also finds that parents generally are enthusiastic about their children’s schools but believe other schools in their community aren’t as good and schools across the nation are even worse. The survey findings are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 1,422 adults, 18 years or older (570 are parents and 852 are non-parents) between June 25 and July 19, 1999.

• Topline

This report examines Medicaid eligibility policies and operations in five states – California, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota and Wisconsin – following initial changes introduced by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 and the new Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The study findings suggest that eligibility policy expansions alone may not prevent Medicaid enrollment declines. The report discusses several problem areas affecting Medicaid eligibility and enrollment operations including challenges in severing Medicaid and welfare, complex rules and procedures, and systems and communication inadequacy.

In recent years, there has been an increasing federal role in supporting efforts to reduce the incidence of childbirth outside of marriage and decrease teen pregnancy rates through specialized programs. The 1996 welfare law provided a new incentive for states to use federal matching funds to establish educational programs that promote abstinence from sex unless married. This issue brief summarizes current federal and state policies on abstinence unless married programs, highlights the current state of knowledge on the effectiveness of these programs, and reviews public attitudes about abstinence education.

• Issue Update

Health News Index July/August, 1999

The July/August 1999 edition of the Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard Health News Index includes questions about major health stories covered in the news, including questions about the White House Medicare Proposal and the Patients’ Bill of Rights. The survey is based on a national random sample of 1,000 Americans conducted August 6-10, 1999 which measures public knowledge of health stories covered by news media during the previous month. The Health News Index is designed to help the news media and people in the health field gain a better understanding of which health stories in the news Americans are following and what they understand about those health issues. Every two months, Kaiser/Harvard issues a new index report.

• HNI July-August 1999
• Topline/Survey

The Medicaid Primer presents in depth information on Medicaid, the federal/state program that provides health coverage for low-income families and people with disabilities and is the largest source of public financing for HIV/AIDS care in the U.S. The Medicaid Primer is designed to help policymakers and advocates navigate through the complexities of Medicaid with regard to the program’s role for people with HIV/AIDS.

The Federal Budget Chartbook is an update of the 1998 publication to include FY 1999 spending data and trends. The Chartbook provides a general guide to federal funding for HIV/AIDS, estimated to be nearly $10 billion in FY 1999 and details funding trends between FY 1995 and FY 1999. It offers analysis by type of program for people with HIV (e.g., prevention, research, and care) as well as financing source (e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, and Ryan White).

• Chartbook

This policy brief provides an overview of the low-income, uninsured population. Based on an analysis of the March 1998 Current Population Survey, the report discusses the demographic characteristics of this vulnerable population. It also presents information detailing health insurance coverage for low-income children and adults, as well as trends in insurance coverage over the past decade. It concludes with a discussion of recent coverage expansions and policy changes that have affected low-income Americans. The policy brief also includes a set of detailed appendix tables that provide health insurance coverage information by socioeconomic characteristics.

• Policy Brief