The State of Retiree Health Benefits: Historical Trends and Future Uncertainties
Tricia Neuman, Vice President and Director of the Medicare Policy Project for the Kaiser Family Foundation, testified on Monday, May 17, at a
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The 4 Arguments You Will Hear Against Drug Price Negotiation
PerspectiveAs the Biden administration begins the process of negotiation drug prices for Medicare as authorized in the Inflation Reduction Act, KFF's Larry Levitt probes some of the arguments against it and the policy and political implications of the debate in this New York Times op-ed column.
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How Medicare’s New Drug Price Negotiation Program Could Expand Access to Selected Drugs
Issue BriefThis brief examines how Part D enrollees’ access to and utilization of the first set of 10 selected drugs could be affected by the new Part D coverage and formulary requirements for selected drugs established by the Inflation Reduction Act and in CMS guidance, as well as the potential for lower out-of-pocket costs.
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Key Facts About Medicare Part D Enrollment and Costs in 2023
Issue BriefThe Medicare Part D program provides an outpatient prescription drug benefit to older adults and people with long-term disabilities in Medicare who enroll in private plans. This brief analyzes Medicare Part D enrollment and costs in 2023 and trends over time. The analysis highlights the substantial growth of Medicare Advantage drug plans in the marketplace for Part D drug coverage, where enrollment overall is concentrated in a handful of large plan sponsors.
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A Current Snapshot of the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit
Issue BriefThis brief provides an overview of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, including current data on plan availability, enrollment, and spending and financing, and highlights changes made under the Inflation Reduction Act.
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Medicare Part D Premiums Are Increasing for Many But Not All Stand-Alone Plans in 2025, Reflecting Effects of New Premium Stabilization Demonstration
Policy WatchThis policy watch examines monthly premiums for Medicare Part D stand-alone drug plans in 2025, as changes to the Part D benefit are being implemented in 2025, including a new $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket drug spending.
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Nearly 7 in 10 Medicare Beneficiaries Do Not Compare Coverage Options During Open Enrollment
News ReleaseWith open enrollment less than a month away, a new KFF analysis suggests that the vast majority of the nation’s 67 million Medicare beneficiaries will not shop around among the coverage options for 2025 or switch plans. It’s a decision that could have a significant impact on enrollees’ coverage and costs.
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What to Know about Medicare Spending and Financing
Issue BriefThis brief provides an overview of Medicare spending and financing, based on the most recent historical and projected data from the Medicare Trustees and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The brief highlights trends in Medicare spending and key drivers of spending growth, including higher enrollment, growth in health care costs, and increases in payments to Medicare Advantage plans.
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The Typical Medicare Beneficiary Has Close to 70 Different Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D Stand-Alone Plan Options for 2023
FeatureThe Medicare open enrollment period that runs from October 15 to December 7 each year is an opportunity for Medicare beneficiaries in traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage to evaluate their current coverage, compare plans, and decide whether to make a change for the coming year.
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Prices Increased Faster Than Inflation for Half of all Drugs Covered by Medicare in 2020
Issue BriefRecent legislation would require drug companies to pay rebates to the federal government when annual increases in prescription drug prices for Medicare and private insurance exceed the rate of inflation. As context for understanding the possible impact of this proposal, this analysis compares price changes for drugs covered by Medicare Part B (administered by physicians) and Part D (retail prescription drugs) between 2019 and 2020 to the inflation rate over the same period.