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  • What is Medicare’s Role in End-of-Life Care?

    News Release

    Medicare plays an integral role in end-of-life care, an issue that is emotionally-charged and easily politicized.  About three-quarters of the 2.5 million Americans who die each year are ages 65 and older, and covered by Medicare at the time of their death, yet policy issues related to Medicare and end-of-life care are often poorly understood. As policymakers consider whether and how Medicare should pay physicians and other health care professionals for talking to Medicare beneficiaries…

  • The U.S. Global Health Budget: Analysis of Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2016

    Issue Brief

    After Congress provided an unprecedented level of emergency funding for Ebola in FY15 in response to the West African outbreak, beyond regular appropriations for global health programs, FY16 returned to business as usual. There was no additional emergency funding and global health amounts remained essentially flat funding compared to prior years. The FY16 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which was signed into law by the President on December 18, 2015, included an estimated $10.2 billion in funding…

  • One Year after the Storms: Recovery and Health Care in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

    Issue Brief

    One year after Hurricanes Irma and Maria made landfall, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) are still feeling the storms’ effects. Drawing on key stakeholder interviews and public reports, this brief provides an overview of recovery status and preparation efforts for the current hurricane season one year after the storms, with a focus on the territories’ health care systems.

  • Un año después de las tormentas: la recuperación y la atención de salud en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de EE.UU. (Informe)

    Issue Brief

    Un año después que los huracanes Irma y María tocaran tierra, Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de EE.UU. (USVI) todavía sienten los efectos de las tormentas. Basándose en entrevistas con partes interesadas clave y en informes públicos, este reporte proporciona una visión general del estado de recuperación y los esfuerzos de preparación para la actual temporada de huracanes, un año después de las tormentas, enfocándose en los sistemas de atención de salud de los…

  • Medicare-for-All and Public Plan Buy-In Proposals: Overview and Key Issues

    Issue Brief

    This issue brief compares eight Medicare-for-All and public plan option bills that have been introduced in the 115th Congress. The brief describes the range of proposals on the table and raises key questions related to how these proposals could affect coverage, out-of-pocket costs, existing coverage, payments to providers, as well as overall costs and financing, and potential tradeoffs.

  • Implications Of A Federal Block Grant Program For Medicaid

    Issue Brief

    This issue brief examines the broad implications of converting Medicaid to block grant financing, one of several ideas that have been put forth to help reduce the federal deficit. The paper, which does not analyze any specific proposal, notes that switching to block grant financing would fundamentally alter the Medicaid program and could have significant implications for states, localities, beneficiaries and health care providers. Issue Brief (.pdf) Related Resources: Prior Analyses of Block Grant Proposals…

  • Proposed Changes to Medicare in the “Path to Prosperity”: Overview and Key Questions

    Issue Brief

    This brief examines key Medicare provisions included in "The Path to Prosperity: Restoring America's Promise," a long-term budget proposal released by House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan on April 5, 2011, which outlines a strategy for reducing federal spending and reducing the national debt over time. The Medicare provisions are among the many significant changes to programs affecting the elderly and disabled in the "Path to Prosperity" proposal. The central Medicare proposal would transform the program…

  • California's "Bridge to Reform" Medicaid Demonstration Waiver

    Fact Sheet

    This issue brief provides an overview of California's "Bridge to Reform" Medicaid Demonstration Waiver, which was approved in 2010 and will make up to roughly $8 billion in federal Medicaid matching funds available to California over a five-year period to expand coverage to low-income uninsured adults and preserve and improve the county-based safety-net. The waiver also allows the state to enroll Medicaid-eligible seniors and persons with disabilities into managed care plans that meet specified readiness…

  • How Does the Benefit Value of Medicare Compare to the Benefit Value of Typical Large Employer Plans?: A 2012 Update

    Issue Brief

    This study compares the value of Medicare's fee-for-service benefits last year with the value of benefits in two large employer health plans -- a large health plan serving federal employees and a typical large employer Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan. For individuals ages 65 and older, the study finds that Medicare remains less generous on average than typical large employer health plans, even after recent improvements in the program's drug coverage. Overall, Medicare would cover…

  • Medicare’s Role for Dual Eligible Beneficiaries

    Issue Brief

    About 9 million low-income seniors and younger people with disabilities in the United States are covered by both Medicare and Medicaid. This brief examines the role of Medicare in providing health coverage for these beneficiaries. Medicare is the primary source of health insurance, while Medicaid provides supplemental coverage, helping with premiums and cost-sharing and paying for services not covered by Medicare. This brief examines overall and per capita Medicare spending for these beneficiaries, including variations…