371 - 380 of 1,762 Results

  • A Review of 62 Studies Finds Few Big Differences Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage on a Variety of Measures

    News Release

    With the Medicare open enrollment period set to begin Oct. 15, a perennial decision faced by Medicare beneficiaries is whether to get their coverage through traditional Medicare or the private plans known as Medicare Advantage. A new KFF review of 62 studies published since 2016 that compares Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare on measures of beneficiary experience, affordability, utilization, and quality finds few differences that are supported by strong evidence or have been replicated across…

  • Health Policy in 2026

    From Drew Altman

    In a new column, President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman forecasts eight things to look for in health policy in 2026. “First and foremost,” he writes, “is the role health care affordability will play in the midterms.” And, he notes: “The average cost of a family policy for employers could approach $30,000 and cost sharing and deductibles will rise again after plateauing for several years.”

  • Insurance Coverage of OTC Oral Contraceptives: Lessons from the Field

    Report

    This report is based on 35 structured interviews conducted from January to August 2023, with nearly 80 experts and key players such as pharmacists, health plans, and state Medicaid officials involved in the coverage and provision of OTC contraception in seven states with one or more of these coverage approaches (IL, NJ, NM, NY, OR, UT, and WA). It discusses the challenges and successes in coverage under private health insurance and Medicaid and reviews policy…

  • Insulin Out-of-Pocket Costs in Medicare Part D

    Issue Brief

    Addressing the cost of insulin continues to be at the forefront of policy discussions around prescription drugs. This analysis describes out-of-pocket spending on insulin products by Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Part D drug plans, along with state-level use and spending data.

  • Kelly Johnson

    Person

    Kelly Johnson, enterprise editor, manages projects related to acute care for seniors, serious illness care, end-of-life issues, prescription drug pricing, the pharmaceutical industry, and more. She previously was the Sunday Business editor at The Washington Post, where she edited stories about big personalities and big ideas that spanned the worlds of business, energy, health care, technology, taxes, Wall Street, economics, policy, and leadership. Kelly is a native of South Dakota and mentored and taught college-level…

  • The 4 Arguments You Will Hear Against Drug Price Negotiation

    Perspective

    As the Biden administration begins the process of negotiation drug prices for Medicare as authorized in the Inflation Reduction Act, KFF's Larry Levitt probes some of the arguments against it and the policy and political implications of the debate in this New York Times op-ed column.

  • Medicare Advantage Is Close to Becoming the Predominant Way That Medicare Beneficiaries Get Their Health Coverage and Care

    News Release

    As Medicare Advantage continues to grow, a gradual but significant reshaping of the Medicare program is taking place. A new KFF analysis finds that nearly half of eligible Medicare beneficiaries – 28.4 million out of 58.6 million Medicare beneficiaries overall – are now enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. That represents a more than doubling of the share of the eligible Medicare population enrolled in such plans from 2007 to 2022 (19% to 48%). Enrollment is…

  • FAQs on Health Spending, the Federal Budget, and Budget Enforcement Tools

    Issue Brief

    As some policymakers in Washington are pushing to reduce the federal deficit and debt, this brief provides a concise explanation of federal spending for domestic and global health programs and services, which could be part of any conversation about curbing federal spending. These FAQs answer basic questions about health spending and the federal budget and budget enforcement tools, including the debt limit and sequestration.