Medicare Beneficiaries Have 32 Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans Available, on Average, for 2026
Medicare beneficiaries will have 32 Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage available to choose from, on average, in 2026.
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What to Know About How Medicare Pays Physicians
Issue BriefEach year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updates Medicare payments for physician services and other Part B services through rulemaking. This issue brief answers key questions about how physicians are paid under the Medicare program, and reviews policy options under discussion for payment reform.
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A Current Snapshot of the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit
Issue BriefThis brief provides an overview of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, including current data on plan availability, enrollment, and spending and financing, and highlights changes made under the Inflation Reduction Act.
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Medicare Part D Premiums Are Decreasing for Many Stand-Alone Drug Plans in a Number of States in 2026
Issue BriefThis brief looks at premium changes for Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans between 2025 and 2026. For plans that were offered nationwide in 2025 and will continue to be offered in 2026, Part D enrollees in many states will see lower monthly premiums in 2026.
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A Closer Look at the Growing Role of Special Needs Plans in Medicare Advantage
Issue BriefTo better understand the growing role of Special Needs Plans (SNPs) in Medicare Advantage, this brief examines SNP enrollment trends using recent Medicare Advantage enrollment data published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
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The Role of SHIPs in Helping People with Medicare Navigate Their Coverage
Issue BriefThe State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free counseling to help millions of Medicare beneficiaries make decisions about coverage. However, federal funding has been modest over the last decade, and federal administration of the program appears to be in transition.
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What Could the Health-Related Provisions in the Reconciliation Law Mean for Older Adults?
Issue BriefOn July 4, President Trump signed into law the budget reconciliation bill, previously known as “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The law includes several policy changes that could have significant implications for the health and health coverage of older Americans ages 50 and older, including those who are covered by Medicare.
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Medicare Advantage Enrollees Account for 25% of all Inpatient Hospital Days
Issue BriefThis analysis examines the recent growth of Medicare Advantage as a share of hospital inpatient days. Medicare Advantage rose from 13% to 25% of all inpatient days from 2015 to 2023, although there was wide variation among hospitals.
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Income and Assets of Medicare Beneficiaries in 2024
Issue BriefThis brief examines the income, assets, and home equity of Medicare beneficiaries, overall and by age, race and ethnicity, and gender. Most Medicare beneficiaries live on relatively low incomes and have modest financial resources to draw upon if they need costly care or long-term services and supports.
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Health Costs Consume a Large Portion of Income for Millions of People with Medicare
Issue BriefTo document the affordability challenges posed by out-of-pocket health care costs for people with Medicare, this brief analyzes out-of-pocket health care costs as a share of Social Security income and total income, including other sources of income in addition to Social Security.