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  • Tracking Poll Finds Seniors Split on Medicare Drug Benefit

    Poll Finding

    Tracking Poll Finds Seniors Now Split on Medicare Drug Benefit This August tracking survey shows modest progress in seniors' knowledge about the Medicare drug benefit. Also, for the first time, the tracking poll shows seniors are as likely to say that they have a favorable impression of the drug benefit as an unfavorable one. The Kaiser Health Poll Report Survey was conducted and analyzed by researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation. A nationally representative sample…

  • An Implementation Perspective on Part D, the Medicare Prescription Drug Program

    Report

    This focus group of 12 state Medicaid officials conducted in November 2005 explores the current status and likely results of the Part D dual eligible transition efforts as well as other Part D-related issues of particular importance to states. It includes discussion of the transition of dual eligibles from Medicaid to Medicare drug coverage, evaluating Part D plan options, states’ role in the low-income subsidy program, the fiscal implications of Part D to states, and…

  • What to Know About Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and Federal Efforts at Regulation

    Issue Brief

    This brief provides an overview of the role of PBMs in managing pharmacy benefits, discusses federal efforts to reform certain PBM business practices, and explains the estimated federal budgetary impact of the recently enacted legislation, which would be a reduction in the federal deficit of $2.1 billion over 10 years, according to CBO.

  • Medicare Part D 2010 Data Spotlight: Benefit Design and Cost Sharing

    Report

    The Medicare Modernization Act established a defined standard drug benefit for Part D stand-alone Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) plans, while giving plans flexibility to offer alternative benefit designs. Only about one in 10 PDPs offer the standard benefit in 2010. Plan sponsors can offer alternative benefit designs that are, at a minimum, actuarially equivalent to the defined standard and can also offer enhanced benefits. This Medicare Part D data…

  • Hispanics and the New Medicare Drug Benefit

    Poll Finding

    In a few short weeks, Medicare will undergo big changes that will have a major impact on more than 3 million Hispanic seniors and younger people with permanent disabilities who rely on Medicare for their health coverage. More than one in three Hispanics with Medicare lack coverage for their prescription drugs for at least part of the year. Many others will need to make decisions about their existing coverage and the new Medicare benefit. Starting…

  • Observations on the Initial Implementation of the Medicare Prescription Drug Program:  Perspectives of State Medicaid Directors Through a Focus Group Discussion

    Report

    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…

  • Seniors and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit

    Poll Finding

    The survey, which assessed seniors' views of and experiences with the Medicare drug benefit, was conducted November 9-19 by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. It included a nationally representative sample of 718 seniors, including 275 who reported being enrolled in a Medicare drug plan. The questions about experiences under the Medicare drug benefit were part of a larger survey of 1,867 adults on the public's health agenda for Congress…

  • How Do M+C Plans Manage Pharmacy Benefits? Implications for Medicare Reform

    Report

    Understanding how Medicare+Choice (M+C) plans manage their drug benefits may generate important lessons for Medicare. This report, based on interviews with both national and regional managed care firms, provides an in-depth look at how plans have managed their M+C outpatient pharmacy benefits in recent years. Findings show that plans rely on a number of cost management strategies to constrain the growth in drug spending including formularies, tiered-copayments, mail-order benefits, and fixed caps or dollar limits…