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Voices of Beneficiaries: Early Experiences with the Medicare Drug Benefit
The Medicare Modernization Act established a voluntary prescription drug benefit for Medicare’s elderly and disabled beneficiaries provided by private plans that is open to all beneficiaries.This paper focuses on the decision-making process and the factors that influence decisions about Medicare drug plans, as well as beneficiaries’ early experiences and future…
Report Read MoreMedicare Part D 2008 Data Spotlights
To better understand changes in the private plans providing drug coverage to Medicare beneficiaries under the program's Part D benefit, the Kaiser Family Foundation is issuing a series of data spotlights analyzing key elements of Medicare's private drug plans. Each spotlight will focus on a key aspect of the drug…
Issue Brief Read MoreMedicare Part D 2009 Data Spotlight: Ten Most Common Brand-Name Drugs
This Data Spotlight focuses on Part D plan coverage of the ten brand-name drugs that were most commonly prescribed for Medicare beneficiaries in 2006 and lack generic equivalents in 2009. Findings are based on an analysis of data for the 44 unique, national and near-national stand-alone prescription drug plans. The…
Issue Brief Read MoreUnderstanding The Effects of The Medicare Part D Coverage Gap in 2008 and 2009
This Kaiser Family Foundation study examines how the coverage gap in Medicare’s drug benefit known as the “doughnut hole” affects Medicare beneficiaries and their prescribing patterns. Based on actual claims data from 2008 and 2009, before the 2010 health reform law began to close the gap, the study finds that…
Report Read MoreTransitions 2006
On January 1, 2006, the six million Americans who are covered by both Medicare and Medicaid saw a change in how their prescription drugs are covered. The dual eligible population was transitioned from Medicaid into the Medicare prescription drug benefit. As a group, these beneficiaries are poorer and sicker than…
Video Read MoreMedicare Part D 2010 Data Spotlight: Prices for Brand-Name Drugs in the Coverage Gap
This Medicare Part D data spotlight finds prices for some commonly used brand-name drugs rising in 2010 for beneficiaries who reach the coverage gap (or “doughnut hole”), with increases since 2006 far exceeding the growth in inflation.
Issue Brief Read MoreMedicare and the President’s Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Proposal
Medicare and the President’s Fiscal Year 2009 Budget ProposalThis fact sheet summarizes key Medicare-related provisions in the Bush Administration’s fiscal year 2009 budget proposal, as well as additional legislation that responds to the Medicare Trustees’ “Medicare Funding Warning.” Fact Sheet (.pdf)
Fact Sheet Read MorePapers on Issues For People With Medicare Raised By Proposed Drug Benefit Regulations
Papers on Issues For People With Medicare Raised By Proposed Drug Benefit RegulationsThe Kaiser Family Foundation has commissioned a series of papers to explore key issues that may be of concern for Medicare beneficiaries as the new Medicare drug benefit is implemented. These papers focus on specific areas of potential…
Issue Brief Read MoreThe Effect of Formularies and Other Cost Management Tools on Access to Medications: An Analysis of the MMA and Proposed Regulations
This paper, by John F. Hoadley, Ph.D., of the Health Policy Institute at Georgetown University, examines how formulary designs and other cost-management tools may affect Medicare beneficiaries’ access to medications through their Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. It is one in a series commissioned by the Kaiser Family Foundation…
Issue Brief Read MoreProspects for Retiree Health Benefits as Medicare Drug Coverage Begins
Findings from the Kaiser/Hewitt 2005 Survey on Retiree Health BenefitsThe 2005 Kaiser/Hewitt survey of large businesses that provide retiree health benefits to their workers assesses their responses to the new Medicare drug benefit in 2006, their plans for the future, and the way these changes affect retirees. It also looks…
Poll Finding Read More