Home Program on Medicare Policy Program

View the Latest: Program on Medicare Policy

Filter

List Grid

221 - 230 of 516 Results

  • Mail Delays Could Affect Mail-Order Prescriptions for Millions of Medicare Part D and Large Employer Plan Enrollees

    Issue Brief

    Potential changes in mail service delivery could be a concern for people who receive prescription drugs from mail-order pharmacies. To understand who may be most affected by delays in the delivery of prescription drugs, we analyzed use of mail order in Medicare Part D and large group employer plans, and identified the therapeutic classes and specific drugs with the highest volume of fills by mail-order pharmacies in each market.

  • How Could the Price of Remdesivir Impact Medicare Spending for COVID-19 Patients?

    Issue Brief

    This brief discusses how drugs provided in inpatient hospital settings are covered and reimbursed for beneficiaries in traditional Medicare under current law. This is relevant for Medicare spending on COVID-19 patients who receive Gilead’s new antiviral drug remdesivir. We discuss the implications for hospitals and the Medicare program of spending on remdesivir.

  • Under the Radar: States Vary in Regulating and Reporting COVID-19 in Assisted Living Facilities

    Issue Brief

    This analysis examines how states are regulating assisted living facilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, based on state-issued guidance for assisted living facilities on visitation, staff screening, and use of personal protective equipment. In addition, we tally state-level data on COVID-19 cases and deaths in assisted living facilities among states reporting such data as of June 8, 2020.

  • Insulin Costs and Coverage in Medicare Part D

    Issue Brief

    In light of heightened attention to insulin and the Trump Administration’s new Part D model to address out-of-pocket costs for insulin for Medicare beneficiaries, we analyzed out-of-pocket spending on insulin by beneficiaries enrolled in Part D drug plans, variation in Part D plan formulary coverage and tier placement of insulin products, and trends in prices for insulin.

  • Distribution of CARES Act Funding Among Hospitals

    Issue Brief

    This brief analyzes the distribution of $50 billion in CARES Act funding for providers and shows that the distribution formula selected by the Department of Health and Human Services favored hospitals with a relatively high share of revenue from private insurance. Hospitals that see a smaller share of patients with private insurance and instead see more patients with Medicare or Medicaid received less funding per hospital bed.

  • Older Adults Are Hit Hard by COVID-19 – and Also Losing Jobs

    Policy Watch

    The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on older adults both in terms of the higher health risks they face, and the financial consequences of a downturn in the economy. This blog examines the latest unemployment data among older adults and discusses the implications of job losses for older adults in terms of health insurance coverage and retirement security.