Explaining Health Reform: Medicare and the New Independent Payment Advisory Board
This brief describes how the new board created under the 2010 health reform law is expected to limit the growth in Medicare spending over time.
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Explaining Health Reform: Key Changes in the Medicare Advantage Program
Issue BriefThis brief examines the changes in the 2010 health reform law affecting the Medicare Advantage program, which gives beneficiaries the option of enrolling in private insurance plans for their Medicare benefits, instead of the traditional fee-for-service program.
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Pulling it Together: When Premiums Go Up 39%
PerspectiveOur group that works on health care cost issues just updated an analysis that sheds light on what’s really happening to people in the individual health insurance market, the issue Secretary Sebelius, a former Kansas insurance commissioner, and others have put in the spotlight by calling on Anthem and other insurance companies to account for…
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Explaining Health Care Reform: Key Changes to the Medicare Part D Drug Benefit Coverage Gap
Issue BriefOn March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law.
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Pulling it Together: An Actuarial Rorschach Test
PerspectiveDrew Altman, Larry Levitt, Gary Claxton My colleagues have worked on this column with me and I invited them to join me as authors.
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Explaining Health Care Reform: How Do Health Care Costs Vary By Region?
Issue BriefAlthough regional variations in health spending have been studied for decades, there is renewed focus on this issue because of the role of health care costs in health care reform and the potential source of funds if addressing cost variations can yield savings.
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Health Insurance Coverage for Older Adults: Implications of a Medicare Buy-In
Issue BriefAs the Senate debates comprehensive health reform legislation, the idea of a Medicare buy-in option for uninsured adults aged 55-64 has re-emerged as a potential component of a reform plan.
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Medicare Savings in Perspective: A Comparison of 2009 Health Reform Legislation and Other Laws in the Last 15 Years
Issue BriefAlthough Medicare is not the main focus of current health reform legislation, the bill recently passed by the House—H.R. 3962, America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009—and the bill before the Senate—H.R. 3590, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—include a number of provisions that would affect Medicare program expenditures.
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Medicare Part D 2010 Data Spotlight: The Coverage Gap
ReportThis data spotlight examines the coverage gap, or "doughnut hole," in Medicare stand-alone drug plans available in 2010. While in the gap in coverage, Part D enrollees (other than those receiving low-income subsidies) are required to pay 100 percent of total drug costs until they reach the catastrophic coverage level.
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Medicare Advantage 2010 Data Spotlight: Plan Availability and Premiums
Issue BriefThis data spotlight examines changes in the availability and premiums of private Medicare Advantage options for Medicare beneficiaries in 2010 as the annual open enrollment period begins. While the number of plans available in 2010 declined somewhat from 2009, the analysis finds that Medicare beneficiaries on average have 33 Medicare Advantage plans to choose from.