New Alzheimer’s Drugs Spark Hope for Patients and Cost Concerns for Medicare July 6, 2023 Blog The Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to Leqembi, a new Alzheimer’s drug, on July 6, 2023. This updated policy watch focuses on the implications of Medicare coverage of the drug for program spending as well as equity and affordability issues for beneficiaries, and the potential for the Inflation Reduction Act to address the spending impacts. It also covers additional details from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services about patient registries.
What Could New Anti-Obesity Drugs Mean for Medicare? May 18, 2023 Blog In this piece, we discuss Medicare coverage of obesity treatments, the potential cost implications if Medicare covers anti-obesity drugs, and how the Inflation Reduction Act could potentially address these cost concerns.
Testimony: Prior Authorization in Medicare Advantage May 17, 2023 Issue Brief Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, an Associate Director for the Program on Medicare Policy at KFF, testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on May 17, 2023 as part of a hearing on Examining Health Care Denials and Delays in Medicare Advantage.
Average Drug Fills and Average Gross Drug Costs Per Medicare Part D Enrollee May 4, 2023 State Indicator
Half of All Eligible Medicare Beneficiaries Are Now Enrolled in Private Medicare Advantage Plans May 1, 2023 Blog Recently released data show that Medicare Advantage, the private plan alternative to traditional Medicare, now covers half of eligible Medicare beneficiaries. As the role of Medicare Advantage grows, so will interest in understanding how well the program serves the increasingly diverse group of enrollees who receive their Medicare coverage from private insurers.
Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Coverage in Medicare Advantage Plans April 28, 2023 Issue Brief This brief describes the scope of mental health and substance use disorder benefits in Medicare Advantage plans, including extra benefits, cost sharing, and prior authorization and referral requirements, based on an analysis of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Advantage plan benefit and enrollment files for 2022.
Medicaid Arrangements to Coordinate Medicare and Medicaid for Dual-Eligible Individuals April 27, 2023 Issue Brief This issue brief describes how state Medicaid programs are implementing arrangements aimed at coordinating Medicare and Medicaid for dual-eligible individuals.
Testimony: Tax-Exempt Hospitals and the Community Benefit Standard April 26, 2023 Issue Brief Zachary Levinson, Project Director of KFF’s Program on Medicare Policy, testified before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Ways and Means on April 26, 2023 as part of a hearing on Tax-Exempt Hospitals and the Community Benefit Standard.
Changes to Medicare Part D in 2024 and 2025 Under the Inflation Reduction Act and How Enrollees Will Benefit April 20, 2023 Issue Brief The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes several provisions to lower prescription drug costs for people with Medicare and reduce drug spending by the federal government, including a number of changes to the Medicare Part D drug benefit. This brief provides an overview of the Part D benefit design and Part D enrollee cost-sharing requirements in 2023 and changes coming in 2024 and 2025.
Medicare and People with HIV March 27, 2023 Issue Brief This data note provides an overview of the role of the Medicare program for people with and at risk for HIV.
