Medicare Consumer-Directed Health Plan: Medicare MSAs and HSA-like Plans in 2007 February 28, 2007 Issue Brief Medicare Consumer-Directed Health Plan: Medicare MSAs and HSA-like Plans in 2007This March 2007 issue brief, commissioned by the Kaiser Family Foundation, examines the development of consumer-directed health plans in the Medicare program. Medicare Medical Savings Account plans have high deductibles accompanied by a personal savings account that can be used…
Medicare Payments and Beneficiary Costs for Prescription Drug Coverage February 28, 2007 Issue Brief This March 2007 issue brief, commissioned by the Kaiser Family Foundation, provides a basic introduction to the reimbursement system for private Medicare drug plans. It explains the system of plan bidding and payment, including the special provisions for low-income enrollees, and considers how aspects of the payment system may affect…
Medicare Advantage: The Role of Private Health Plans in Medicare Tutorial January 1, 2007 Interactive This tutorial was produced for kaiserEDU.org, a Kaiser Family Foundation website that ceased production in September 2013. The kaiserEDU.org tutorials are no longer being updated but have been made available on kff.org due to demand by professors who are using the tutorials in class assignments. You may search for other tutorials to…
Health Affairs Article Examines Enrollment in Medicare Drug Plans As The Benefit Approaches Its Second Year November 1, 2006 Report Health Affairs Article Examines Enrollment in Medicare Drug Plans As The Benefit Approaches Its Second YearAn article by Kaiser Family Foundation researchers published as a Health Affairs Web Exclusive provides a comprehensive look at the 2006 private Medicare drug plan enrollment as the enrollment period for 2007 begins. The article…
Early Experiences of Medicare Beneficiaries in Prescription Drug Plans August 1, 2006 Report This report offers insights into Medicare beneficiaries’ experiences with the new drug benefit, based on observations of State Health Insurance Assistance Plan (SHIP) directors convened for a moderated focus group discussion. Because SHIP directors work closely with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and are on the front lines…
Medicare Prescription Drug Enrollment Update June 2, 2006 Issue Brief Medicare Drug Benefit Enrollment UpdateThis enrollment update breaks down and explains the statistics related to enrollment under the new Medicare drug benefit and the separate low-income subsidy program that provides additional assistance. The enrollment update summarizes the latest enrollment figures released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and…
Premiums and Cost Sharing Features in Medicare’s New Prescription Drug Program, 2006 April 30, 2006 Issue Brief Premiums and Cost-Sharing Features in Medicare's New Prescription Drug Program, 2006When Congress created the Medicare drug benefit in 2003, it also sought to generate more private plan options for senior and disabled beneficiaries in Medicare, with increased payments to attract sponsors and to support added benefits attractive to enrollees, especially…
The Landscape of Private Firms Offering Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage in 2006 February 28, 2006 Issue Brief describes key characteristics of the organizations that offer the new Medicare drug benefit and analyzes how companies are positioning themselves to attract Medicare enrollees.• Seven of the 10 organizations that sponsor stand-alone prescription drug plans nationwide are based in commercial insurance firms with substantial Medicare Advantage experience, and three of…
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…
Issue Briefs Describe Changes in Private Plan Market and Effects on Medicare Beneficiaries February 28, 2006 Issue Brief These two issue briefs describe the different types of private plan options available to people on Medicare, identify key characteristics of the organizations offering the new Medicare drug benefit, and analyze how companies are positioning themselves to attract Medicare enrollees.The Growth of Private Plans in Medicare, 2006The Landscape of Private…