Program on Medicare Policy Archives | Page 2 of 53

How Medicare Advantage Rebates Disadvantage Medicare’s Stand-Alone Drug Plan Market

Jun 11, 2026

Issue Brief

The private plans that offer the Medicare Part D benefit - stand-alone drug plans and Medicare Advantage drug plans - are increasingly are competing on uneven terms, in part because the payment system for Medicare Advantage plans enables them to lower Part D premiums or reduce Part D cost sharing, making drug coverage from Medicare Advantage plans appear considerably cheaper, or even premium-free, to the beneficiary. This brief discusses the growing instability of the Part…

Medicare Part D Enrollment, Premiums, and Cost Sharing in 2026

Jun 11, 2026

Issue Brief

The Medicare Part D program provides an outpatient prescription drug benefit to 56 million older adults and people with long-term disabilities in Medicare who enroll in private plans. This brief analyzes Medicare Part D enrollment, premiums, and cost sharing in 2026 and trends over time, based on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Medicare Advantage in 2026: Premiums, Out-of-Pocket Limits, Supplemental Benefits, and Prior Authorization

Jun 5, 2026

Issue Brief

This brief provides information about Medicare Advantage plans in 2026, including premiums, out-of-pocket limits, supplemental benefits, and prior authorization, as well as trends over time.

Medicare Advantage in 2026: Enrollment Update and Key Trends

Jun 5, 2026

Issue Brief

More than half (55%) of eligible Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage in 2026. To better understand trends in the growth of the Medicare Advantage program, this brief provides current information about enrollment, including by plan type and firm

Medicare Advantage Out-of-Pocket Limits: Variation and Trends

May 28, 2026

Issue Brief

This brief analyzes out-of-pocket limits in Medicare Advantage plans in 2026, variation by plan type, the distribution of enrollees facing different out-of-pocket limits, and trends over time.

Key Facts About Health Care Affordability for People With Medicare

May 27, 2026

Issue Brief

This brief presents key facts and analysis about affordability of health care costs among people with Medicare, including younger adults with long-term disabilities, drawing on data from various sources.

Medicaid Changes in House and Senate Reconciliation Bills Would Increase Costs for 1.3 Million Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries

May 14, 2026

Issue Brief

On May 22, the House passed a reconciliation bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which would partially pay to extend expiring tax cuts by cutting Medicaid. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the bill would reduce federal Medicaid spending by $793 billion over ten years and 10.3 million fewer people would be enrolled in Medicaid in 2034, including 1.3 million people with Medicare, otherwise known as “dual-eligible individuals”.

What to Know About the BALANCE Model for GLP-1s in Medicare and Medicaid and the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge

May 11, 2026

Issue Brief

This brief describes current coverage of GLP-1s in Medicare and Medicaid, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) efforts to expand access and lower costs for GLP-1s through temporary demonstration programs including the BALANCE Model, and potential impacts on beneficiaries and program budgets.

Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program Enhance Some Consumer Protections But Roll Back Others

May 1, 2026

Issue Brief

CMS recently finalized policies as part of the 2027 Medicare Advantage final rule that both enhance consumer protections and roll back changes to the Medicare Advantage program that were intended to protect consumers. These changes have gotten less attention than payment issues and changes to the star ratings system, which also affect plan payments, but could have implications for Medicare beneficiaries.

Average Drug Fills and Average Gross Drug Costs Per Medicare Part D Enrollee

Apr 30, 2026

State Health Facts Indicator

Topics

Policy Research

Polling

Health News

Data & Features

For Media

About

View the Latest: Program on Medicare Policy

Filter