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Summary of Key Changes to Medicare in 2010 Health Reform Law . This brief provides a detailed look at the improvements in Medicare benefits, changes to payments for providers and Medicare Advantage plans, various demonstration projects and other Medicare provisions in the law. It includes a timeline of key dates for implementing the Medicare-related provisions in the law.
This fact sheet provides an overview of the Medicare drug benefit and the additional subsidies available to certain eligible low-income beneficiaries. Fact Sheet - December 2009 (.pdf)
The Value of Extra Benefits Offered by Medicare Advantage Plans in 2006 As Medicare Advantage enrollment continues to climb, this report prepared for the Kaiser Family Foundation compares the value of extra benefits provided by private fee-for-service and other types of Medicare Advantage plans. As of January 2008, 8.8 million people with Medicare were enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, an increase of 63% since 2005. Some say the recent growth in Medicare Advantage enrollment…
Medicare and the President's Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Proposal This fact sheet summarizes key Medicare-related provisions in the Bush Administration's fiscal year 2009 budget proposal, as well as additional legislation that responds to the Medicare Trustees' "Medicare Funding Warning." Fact Sheet (.pdf)
This updated resource features more than 80 charts and tables with detailed information about the Medicare program and the 42 million seniors and younger people with disabilities who rely on the program for health insurance coverage. It covers a wide range of relevant data, including state-by-state information when available. Each section can be accessed individually, or the full chartbook can be downloaded in its entirety. Complete Medicare Chartbook 2005 (.pdf) Overview (.pdf) Section 1: Medicare…
Medicare Health and Prescription Drug Plans Monthly Tracking Reports These briefs present monthly data on Medicare Advantage participation, enrollment and penetration. They also summarize recent activities by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), participating health plans, and the research community pertaining to the Medicare Advantage program and prescription drug plans that began serving the Medicare population in January 2006. The reports were prepared by researchers at Mathematica Policy Research Inc. April 2010 Report…
This 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. For Medicare Advantage enrollees who stay in the same plan in 2010, monthly premiums will increase by 32 percent on…
An estimated 200,000 Medicare beneficiaries were displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Medicare played a key role in meeting the health care needs of the elderly and disabled beneficiaries who were displaced by the hurricane. Many of these beneficiaries face new challenges as a direct result of the hurricane. This issue brief identifies issues and challenges for individuals on Medicare affected by the hurricane and offers options for addressing these problems during the transition period. This issue…
These charts highlight key data about the Medicare Advantage program, which has grown rapidly in terms of enrollment and number of plans since the enactment of the Medicare Modernization Act in 2003. The package includes a map showing Medicare Advantage penetration by state as well as key facts about private fee-for-service plans, which have contributed significantly to the recent growth of the Medicare Advantage program. Chartpack (.pdf)
Most Medicare beneficiaries have at least 40 Medicare Advantage (MA) plan options to choose from this year. While some favor a robust marketplace, others argue that fewer plan offerings, or more transparent differences across plans designs, would help beneficiaries choose plans most likely to meet their individual needs. While consumers generally show interest in choice and economists see it as enhancing value, research shows that individuals faced with a large number of alternatives often avoid…
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