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This report examines the implications for Medicare beneficiaries of leading approaches to provide coverage for prescription drugs, looking at coverage, benefit levels and out-of-pocket spending. Report
This report examines the potential savings for employers who currently represent the largest source of drug coverage for seniors. The study finds substantial savings for large employers under comprehensive Medicare prescription drug proposals ranging from $5-8.5 billion in 2003 to $10-$15 billion in 2009. It also finds that the majority of large employers are likely to retain retiree coverage, as a supplement to a Medicare drug benefit. Report
A Side-by-Side Comparison of Selected Proposals as of February 15, 2000 This document provides a side-by-side comparison of five major federal proposals that have been considered to provide outpatient prescription drug coverage to Medicare beneficiaries. It begins with a summary table comparing key features of each proposal, followed by a detailed comparison of the following major proposals: Breaux/Frist, Clinton, Kennedy/Stark, Snowe/Pallone, and Bilirakis/Peterson. For more background on the issue of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries,…
Health News Index September/October, 2000 The September/October 2000 edition of the Kaiser Family Foundation/HarvardSchool of Public Health, Health News Index includes questions about how closely the public is following and how well they understand major health stories covered in the news during September, including stories about presidential candidates Al Gore and George W. Bush's prescription drug proposals. Every two months, Kaiser/Harvard issues a new index report. HNI September-October 2000 Topline/Survey MEDIA ADVISORY Download
Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health National Survey of the Public's Views on Medicare A national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health examines the public's attitudes and opinions on issues related to the Medicare reform and prescription drug debate. The survey also takes a separate look at the differing views of younger and older Americans on this topic. Chartpack (.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…
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)
For a number of years, Governors and other state policymakers have maintained that Medicare - rather than state Medicaid programs - should play the key role in providing prescription drug coverage to Medicare beneficiaries, including those who also qualify for Medicaid because they are impoverished and/or have extensive health care needs (i.e, the "dual eligibles"). Although the new Medicare prescription drug benefit law shifts drug coverage for dual eligibles from Medicaid to Medicare, it does…
This Medicare Part D data spotlight examines the benefit design of Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) in 2008, focusing on national plans. It shows that in 2008, as in previous years, only about 10 percent of national prescription drug plans offered the defined standard benefit. The spotlight also looks at cost sharing structures, the use of flat dollar copayments, the upward trend in cost sharing for non-preferred drugs, and recent changes in cost…
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…
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