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This one page document summarizes the provisions in the new Medicare law that deal with providing financial subsidies to low-income beneficiaries for their drug coverage. Issue Paper (.pdf)
These Foundation resources shed light on how the ongoing national debate about deficit reduction may affect Medicare, Medicaid and other health-care programs. These resources include analysis of specific savings proposals, polling on the public’s views of deficit-reduction options, summaries and comparisons of relevant elements of major deficit-reduction plans, and explanatory briefs and backgrounders describing key issues related to the debate. Drew Altman: The News Media and Entitlement Reform Medicare-Specific Analysis Policy Options to Sustain…
This issue paper provides state-level estimates on spending on dual eligibles and illustrates the fiscal effects of scenarios where the federal government assumes the cost of prescription drugs, Medicare premiums, acute care, and long-term care for this population. Issue Paper (.pdf)
New Medicare Drug Benefit's Impact on States and Low-Income Beneficiaries The recently signed Medicare prescription drug bill transfers responsibility for providing prescription drug coverage to dual-eligible beneficiaries from Medicaid to Medicare and creates a new subsidy program for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. These changes will have a major impact on state Medicaid programs both fiscally and administratively and it will also mean major changes for low-income beneficiaries' drug coverage. Presentation: Medicare Prescription Drugs and Low-Income Beneficiaries…
Dual Eligibles: Medicaid's Role in Filling Medicare's Gaps - Issue Brief This paper presents a profile of dual eligible beneficiaries (those qualifying for both Medicare and Medicaid), describes their health care expenditures, and analyzes the distribution of spending on the population. Issue Paper (.pdf)
This paper identifies and examines consumer protection issues that arise from the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. Key issue areas include: beneficiary information, marketing, enrollment and disenrollment, the drug benefit package and cost-sharing, the appeals process, concerns for low-income beneficiaries, challenges for nursing home issues, and fraud and abuse. Report (.pdf)
Medicare Drug Discount Cards: A Work In Progress This report examines the early experience with the Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Card Program, prices offered by card sponsors, and potential savings for enrollees. The report presents information about approved discount card programs, including sponsors, enrollment fees, and drugs covered, as well as beneficiary education and outreach efforts by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The pricing analysis shows that discount cards can deliver savings off of…
This policy brief examines the low-income subsidy program that provides premiums and cost-sharing assistance under Part D plans, documenting trends in both beneficiary and plan participation over time. With fewer plans available to low-income enrollees without having to pay a premium, and annual changes in those plans, the brief discusses challenges facing low-income Part D enrollees and strategies that could be used to increase the effectiveness of the subsidy program. It was prepared for the…
Key Implementation Dates for the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit This 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 Medicare drug benefit. Some of these dates are defined in the MMA statute, while others are from the final rule issued by the Centers…
This focus group of 12 state Medicaid officials conducted in November 2005 explores the current status and likely results of the Part D dual eligible transition efforts as well as other Part D-related issues of particular importance to states. It includes discussion of the transition of dual eligibles from Medicaid to Medicare drug coverage, evaluating Part D plan options, states’ role in the low-income subsidy program, the fiscal implications of Part D to states, and…
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