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  • Displaced by Hurricane Katrina: Issues and Options for Medicare Beneficiaries

    Issue Brief

    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…

  • Early Experiences of Medicare Beneficiaries in Prescription Drug Plans

    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 providing one-on-one counseling for beneficiaries who have questions or problems related to the new drug benefit, they are a key resource for understanding issues that…

  • Medicare Advantage Chartpack

    Report

    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)

  • Strategies for Simplifying the Medicare Advantage Market

    Other Post

    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…

  • Issue Briefs Describe Changes in Private Plan Market and Effects on Medicare Beneficiaries

    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, 2006 The Landscape of Private Firms Offering Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage in 2006

  • Profile and Analysis of the 26 Medicare Advantage Regions

    Issue Brief

    This issue brief examines the 26 new Medicare Advantage PPO regions and their implications for beneficiaries. The paper describes the characteristics of the new Medicare Advantage regions and the extent to which Medicare Advantage plans are already available in each region. It highlights the substantial gap between the current availability of Medicare Advantage health plans, including Medicare HMOs, PPOs and private fee-for-service plans, throughout the country and that intended for 2006. Issue Brief (.pdf)

  • The Growth of Private Plans in Medicare, 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 plan, up from 77% in 2004. The increase in access stems largely from the creation of new Medicare regional PPOs and the expansion of…

  • Medicare Advantage Provider Networks Limit Enrollees to About Half of the Physicians in Their Area That Are Available to Beneficiaries in Traditional Medicare, on Average

    News Release

    With Medicare’s annual open enrollment period underway, a new KFF analysis finds that Medicare Advantage enrollees, on average, had access to just under half (48%) of the physicians in their area who were available to people enrolled in traditional Medicare. The finding illustrates a key tradeoff for beneficiaries in choosing Medicare Advantage.  Such plans can be appealing to beneficiaries because they offer extra benefits and cap out-of-pocket costs without the need for supplemental coverage. But…