The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
KFF’s policy research provides facts and analysis on a wide range of policy issues and public programs.
KFF designs, conducts and analyzes original public opinion and survey research on Americans’ attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with the health care system to help amplify the public’s voice in major national debates.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the organization’s core operating programs.
This document highlights key data from separate surveys of pharmacists and physicians related to the new Medicare drug benefit. Chartpack (.pdf)
Two national surveys conducted and analyzed by the Kaiser Family Foundation show that substantial majorities of pharmacists and physicians believe that the prescription drug law is helping people on Medicare save money on their medications. At the same time, a majority in both professions report that Medicare beneficiaries who they see are encountering problems in getting their medications, sometimes with serious consequences. The questions about Medicare drug plans were part of surveys designed and analyzed…
These toplines provide the results of a 2006 national survey of pharmacists on their views and experiences related to the new Medicare drug benefit. Topline (.pdf)
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…
The Kaiser Family Foundation released a new report on the implications of the new Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit for people living with HIV/AIDS. The report looks at the coverage and cost of antiretroviral drugs under the new private, stand-alone Medicare drug plans. Report (.pdf)
Toplines: Seniors' Early Experiences With Their New Medicare Drug Plans - June 2006 These toplines contain the detailed results from the June 2006 tracking poll on seniors' early enrollment experiences with the Medicare drug benefit. Toplines (.pdf)
Kaiser Health Poll Report Survey: Seniors' Early Experiences With Their New Medicare Drug Plans - June 2006 More than eight in 10 seniors who are enrolled in a Medicare drug plan are satisfied with their plan, although almost two in 10 say they encountered a major problem in using it, according to the latest Kaiser Family Foundation tracking survey of seniors' experiences under the new Medicare drug benefit. The survey of 1,585 seniors, including 623…
Chartpack: Seniors' Early Experiences With Their New Medicare Drug Plans - June 2006 These charts highlight key data from the June 2006 tracking poll on seniors' early enrollment experiences with the Medicare drug benefit. Chartpack (.pdf)
Medicare Drug Benefit Enrollment Update This 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 the Social Security Administration and compares them with earlier enrollment projections. Issue Brief (.pdf)
Observations on the Initial Implementation of the Medicare Prescription Drug Program: Perspectives of State Medicaid Directors Through a Focus Group Discussion Medicaid directors express the need to continue to focus on the interaction between Medicaid and the Medicare prescription drug benefit and to address the key system and coordination issues that remain, particularly with the potential disruptions that could occur in January 2007 when new Medicare drug plan contracts and recalculated benchmarks for the low-income…
© 2026 KFF