Snapshots: How Changes in Medical Technology Affect Health Care Costs March 2, 2007 Issue Brief Health expenditures continue to grow very rapidly in the U.S. Since 1970, health care spending has grown at an average annual rate of 9.8%, or about 2.5 percentage points faster than the economy as measured by the nominal gross domestic product (GDP). Annual spending on health care increased from $75…
The Growth of Private Plans in Medicare, 2006 February 28, 2006 Issue Brief , details the different types of private plan options available to people on Medicare. These include Medicare Advantage plans (such as Medicare HMOs, PPOs and private fee-for-service plans) and new stand-alone prescription drug plans.• In 2006, all Medicare beneficiaries have access to at least one type of private Medicare Advantage…
Can States Stretch the Medicaid Dollar Without Passing the Buck? Lessons from Utah February 27, 2006 Report With the enactment of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, states have gained increased flexibility over benefits and cost sharing for certain currently eligible Medicaid populations without having to obtain a waiver of Medicaid rules. New findings from the Kaiser Family Foundation's 2004 survey of the experiences of Medicaid beneficiaries…
Medicaid Budgets, Spending and Policy Initiatives in State Fiscal Years 2005 and 2006 September 30, 2005 Poll Finding The 50-state annual survey of about budget conditions and Medicaid cost containment actions in FY2005-06 shows that all states implemented and planned more Medicaid cost-containment actions, but are also implementing expansions as the gap between Medicaid spending growth and state tax revenue narrowed.Report (.pdf)Executive Summary (.pdf)
Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act Implementation Timeline: June 2004 – December 2006 Key Dates May 30, 2005 Report Key Implementation Dates for the Medicare Prescription Drug BenefitThis timeline presents important dates and deadlines of key implementation activities related to the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA). It runs from the beginning of 2005 through the end of 2006, the first year of the new…
Health Care and the 2004 Elections: Long Term Care October 1, 2004 Issue Brief Long Term CareDownload a printable .pdf of Health Care and the 2004 Elections: Long Term Care.IssueBackgroundOptions for Addressing Long Term Care NeedsAssessing Candidate PositionsIssueMillions of elderly and disabled Americans need long-term care services and supports. The aging of the population in the United States over the next several decades is…
Health Care and the 2004 Elections: Women’s Health Policy September 1, 2004 Issue Brief Women's Health PolicyDownload a printable .pdf of Health Care and the 2004 Elections: Women's Health Policy.IssueBackgroundReproductive HealthImproving Insurance Coverage and Affordability of CareBalancing Work and Family Health Care NeedsLong-Term CareClinical ResearchAssessing Candidate PositionsIssueHealth care is a major issue for women. Their greater health needs, longer lifespans, lower incomes, roles in…
Health Care and the 2004 Elections: Health Care Costs September 1, 2004 Issue Brief Health Care CostsDownload a printable .pdf of Heath Care and the 2004 Elections: Health Care Costs.IssueBackgroundSources of Cost IncreasesCost Control StrategiesImpact of the ElectionAssessing Candidate PositionsIssueHealth cost increases threaten to make health insurance less affordable for all Americans, and make it harder to extend coverage to the 45 million Americans…
Women’s Health Policy: Comparison of the Candidates’ Proposals September 1, 2004 Fact Sheet Women’s Health Policy: Comparison of Candidate’s Proposals Download a printable.pdf of this document Bush-Cheney1 Kerry-Edwards2 Reproductive Health Abortion Opposes all abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the woman’s life and opposes use of federal funds to support or promote abortion Supports so-called “partial birth abortion” ban,…
Health Care and the 2004 Elections: the Uninsured August 31, 2004 Issue Brief The Uninsured Download a printable .pdf of Health Care and the 2004 Elections: The Uninsured. IssueBackgroundOptions for Covering the Uninsured and the 2004 DebateAssessing Candidate PositionsIssueWith nearly 45 million Americans under the age of 65 without health insurance – one in six Americans – addressing the uninsured population is a…